Netgear fixes two critical vulnerabilities in many WiFi routers

Netgear has patched two critical vulnerabilities in several models of WiFi routers and urged customers to update their devices as soon as possible.

The vulnerabilities affect several WiFi 6 access points (WAX206, WAX214v2 and WAX220) and Nighthawk Pro Gaming router models (XR1000, XR1000v2, XR500).

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The company did not provide many details, but said that unauthorized attackers can exploit the vulnerabilities for remote code execution (internally tracked as PSV-2023-0039) and authentication bypass (PSV-2021-0117) in low-sophistication attacks that do not require user interaction.

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NETGEAR recommends updating to the latest firmware as soon as possible. In the table below, you can see all the vulnerable WiFi routers and the updates Netgear has released:

To download and install the latest firmware, follow these steps:

• Visit NETGEAR Support.

• Type model number in the search box, then select your model from the drop-down menu that appears.

• If you don't see a drop-down menu, check that you've entered your router's model number correctly. Alternatively, select a product category to search for your product model.

• Click Downloads.

• In the Current Versions section , select the first download whose title begins with Firmware Version.

• Click Release Notes.

• Follow the instructions to download and install the new firmware.

All of these steps are necessary to apply the update and fix the two vulnerabilities.

“NETGEAR is not responsible for any consequences that could have been avoided by following the recommendations in this notice“.

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General router protection tips (Netgear and others):

1. Update firmware regularly

2. Change the default login credentials

3. Use a strong password

4. Enable encryption

5. Disable remote management 

6. Set up a guest Wi-Fi network

7. Use a firewall

8. Monitor the devices to the router

9. Keep the router in a safe place

Source: www.bleepingcomputer.com