How severe is CVE-2020-35221?

CVE-2020-35221 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over an adjacent network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2020-35221 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (37th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-35221?

CVE-2020-35221 primarily affects Netgear Gs116e Firmware. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-35221?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2020-35221 published?

CVE-2020-35221 was published on 2021-03-10 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-35221

CVE-2020-35221 is a high-severity vulnerability in Netgear Gs116e Firmware with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-326.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.8)
CVSS v2: 3.3
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (37th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-326
Affected product: Netgear Gs116e Firmware
Published: 2021-03-10
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The hashing algorithm implemented for NSDP password authentication on NETGEAR JGS516PE/GS116Ev2 v2.6.0.43 devices was found to be insecure, allowing attackers (with access to a network capture) to quickly generate multiple collisions to generate valid passwords, or infer some parts of the original.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-35221?: The hashing algorithm implemented for NSDP password authentication on NETGEAR JGS516PE/GS116Ev2 v2.6.0.43 devices was found to be insecure, allowing attackers (with access to a network capture) to quickly generate multiple collisions to generate valid passwords, or infer some parts of the original.
How severe is CVE-2020-35221?: CVE-2020-35221 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over an adjacent network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2020-35221 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (37th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-35221?: CVE-2020-35221 primarily affects Netgear Gs116e Firmware. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-35221?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2020-35221 published?: CVE-2020-35221 was published on 2021-03-10 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://research.nccgroup.com/2021/03/08/technical-advisory-multiple-vulnerabilities-in-netgear-prosafe-plus-jgs516pe-gs116ev2-switches/

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:o:netgear:gs116e_firmware:2.6.0.43:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:netgear:jgs516pe_firmware:2.6.0.43:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

More vulnerabilities in Netgear Gs116e Firmware

CVE-2020-35231 — High (CVSS 8.8): The NSDP protocol implementation on NETGEAR JGS516PE/GS116Ev2 v2.6.0.43 devices was affected by an authentication issue…
CVE-2020-35229 — High (CVSS 8.8): The authentication token required to execute NSDP write requests on NETGEAR JGS516PE/GS116Ev2 v2.6.0.43 devices is not…
CVE-2020-35223 — High (CVSS 8.8): The CSRF protection mechanism implemented in the web administration panel on NETGEAR JGS516PE/GS116Ev2 v2.6.0.43…
CVE-2020-35801 — High (CVSS 8.3): Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by incorrect configuration of security settings. This affects JGS516PE before…
CVE-2020-35782 — High (CVSS 8.1): Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by lack of access control at the function level. This affects JGS516PE before…
CVE-2020-35227 — High (CVSS 7.2): A buffer overflow vulnerability in the access control section on NETGEAR JGS516PE/GS116Ev2 v2.6.0.43 devices (in the…

All CVEs affecting Netgear Gs116e Firmware →

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