CVE-2021-27137: DD-WRT Stack-Based Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

What is known

An issue was discovered in router/upnp/src/ssdp.c in DD-WRT before 45724. An unsafe strcpy in the UPnP handling functionality allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to send a request that would overflow an internal fixed buffer. Exploitation requires the DD-WRT user to enable UPnP (which is off by default, and only listens on internal interfaces by default). This occurs in ssdp_msearch (reachable by an M-SEARCH request).

Business impact

Successful exploitation of CVE-2021-27137, a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.1) affecting DD-WRT, may affect the confidentiality, integrity or availability of the vulnerable environment. The exact impact depends on the installed version, exposed interfaces and deployment configuration. CISA lists this vulnerability in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, so exposed systems should be treated as a priority.

Recommended administrator action

Confirm whether DD-WRT is present and compare installed versions with the vendor advisory and NVD record. Apply the vendor patch or documented mitigation; until remediation is complete, reduce exposure of affected interfaces, review relevant logs and monitor for indicators of exploitation. Where applicable, include the CISA KEV remediation due date of 2026-07-24 in the change plan. DataHouse can support version verification, managed patching, network exposure reduction, log review and backup validation for dedicated, cloud and colocated environments.

Sources

• NVD
• CISA KEV
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