CVE-2023-35721 | NETGEAR Multiple Routers curl_post Improper Certificate Validation Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

NETGEAR Multiple Routers curl_post Improper Certificate Validation Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows network-adjacent attackers to compromise the integrity of downloaded information on affected installations of multiple NETGEAR routers. Authentication is not required to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the update functionality, which operates over HTTPS. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of the certificate presented by the server. An attacker can leverage this in conjunction with other vulnerabilities to execute arbitrary code in the context of root. Was ZDI-CAN-19981.

Published: 2024-05-02 Last update: 2026-06-17 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]

Conclusion & alert: CVE-2023-35721 is rated Moderate Risk (55.4/100): CVSS High severity, with medium exploitation likelihood (EPSS 0.96%). Mandatory action: Review affected assets and schedule remediation.

Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2023-35721

EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).

# Date Old EPSS score New EPSS score Delta (New - Old)
1 2026-07-01 0.81% 0.96% +0.15%
2 2026-06-15 4.18% 0.81% -3.38%
3 2025-11-21 4.18%

Full EPSS history (10 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2023-35721

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
8.8 3.1 HIGH
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:A)
Attacker has to be nearby on the network—same office, same link, that vibe—not the whole wide internet.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:N)
No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H)
Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H)
They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
2.8 5.9 [email protected]
8.1 3.0 HIGH
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:H)
Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work.
Privileges required (PR:N)
No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H)
Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H)
They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
2.2 5.9 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2023-35721

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2023-35721

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
netgear rax50_firmware < 1.0.15.128 cpe:2.3:o:netgear:rax50_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2023-35721

cvelogic Threat Intelligence