Cyber Resilience

CVE-2021-27275

Path Traversal in Netgear Prosafe Network Management System 1.6.0.26

Published
29 March 2021
Modified
21 November 2024
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 8.3
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:H
EPSS Score 0.73 99.4th percentile
Risk Priority 84 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2021-27275 is a high-severity Path Traversal (CWE-22) vulnerability in Netgear Prosafe Network Management System. Its CVSS base score is 8.3 (High).

Operationally, ranked in the top 0.6% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

This vulnerability allows remote attackers to disclose sensitive information and delete arbitrary files on affected installations of NETGEAR ProSAFE Network Management System 1.6.0.26. Although authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability, the existing authentication mechanism can be bypassed. The specific…

more

flaw exists within the ConfigFileController class. When parsing the realName parameter, the process does not properly validate a user-supplied path prior to using it in file operations. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to disclose sensitive information or to create a denial-of-service condition on the system. Was ZDI-CAN-12125.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

Likely ATT&CK TechniquesAI

Techniques this vulnerability likely enables, inferred from its description, weakness type, and attributed-actor tradecraft. Confidence is per-technique.

T1005 Data from Local System Collectionconfidence: HIGH
Path traversal in ConfigFileController allows reading arbitrary files, directly enabling data from local system.
T1485 Data Destruction Impactconfidence: HIGH
Arbitrary file deletion via unsanitized realName parameter enables data destruction.
T1070.004 File Deletion Stealthconfidence: MEDIUM
Ability to delete arbitrary files can be used for indicator removal by deleting logs or evidence.
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Accessconfidence: HIGH
Remote exploitation of a public-facing management application with authentication bypass matches exploitation of public-facing application.
inferred from description + CWE · MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise v19.0

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-41182Same product: Netgear Prosafe Network Management System
CVE-2024-5505Same product: Netgear Prosafe Network Management System
CVE-2024-36795Same vendor: Netgear
CVE-2016-1525Same vendor: Netgear
CVE-2023-37218Shared CWE-22
CVE-2026-41655Shared CWE-22
CVE-2025-7712Shared CWE-22
CVE-2020-4430Shared CWE-22
CVE-2025-41035Shared CWE-22
CVE-2021-47977Shared CWE-22

Affected Assets

netgear
prosafe network management system
1.6.0.26

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)

Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V5.3.2

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

addresses: CWE-22

Validates pathnames and filenames to prevent traversal outside intended directories.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-02 partial match
prevents

Patching/maintenance can remediate known path-traversal flaws in deployed software (partial prevention of exploitability) but does nothing to stop the coding defect from being introduced in the first place.

PR.AA-05 none match
prevents

PR.AA-05 defines and reviews access policies but does not address code-level pathname neutralization, so neither direction prevents CWE-22.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

detects

Security testing in development catches path traversal via static/dynamic analysis.

prevents

Secure SDLC mandates input validation and path sanitization that directly prevent path traversal.

prevents

Application security requirements include rules for safe file handling and canonicalization.

prevents

Secure architecture principles require least-privilege file access and directory isolation.

prevents

Secure coding standards explicitly forbid unsafe path construction and mandate safe APIs.

mitigates

Information access restriction limits which files an application may read or write.

References