CVE-2023-40478

Name: CVE-2023-40478
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2024-05-03T03:15:20.65+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

MEDIUMCVSS 6.8/10EPSS 0.72%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2023-40478 is a medium-severity vulnerability rated 6.8/10 on the CVSS scale. NETGEAR RAX30 Telnet CLI passwd Stack-based Buffer Overflow Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows network-adjacent attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of NETGEAR RAX30 routers. EPSS estimates a 0.72% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

NETGEAR RAX30 Telnet CLI passwd Stack-based Buffer Overflow Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows network-adjacent attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of NETGEAR RAX30 routers. Although authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability, the existing authentication mechanism can be bypassed. The specific flaw exists within the telnet CLI service, which listens on TCP port 23. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of the length of user-supplied data prior to copying it to a fixed-length stack-based buffer. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of root. Was ZDI-CAN-20009.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

6.8/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability

0.72%

49.3th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Netgear	Rax30 Firmware	< 1.0.10.94

References

https://kb.netgear.com/000065649/Security-Advisory-for-Post-authentication-Buffer-Overflow-on-the-RAX30-PSV-2023-0002Vendor Advisory
https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-23-1163/Third Party Advisory
https://kb.netgear.com/000065649/Security-Advisory-for-Post-authentication-Buffer-Overflow-on-the-RAX30-PSV-2023-0002Vendor Advisory
https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-23-1163/Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: May 3, 2024
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Analyzed

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-40478?

How severe is CVE-2023-40478?

CVE-2023-40478 has a CVSS score of 6.8/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.72% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2023-40478?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2023-40478?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST