CVE-2026-24714CWE-1242

Some end of service NETGEAR products provide "TelnetEnable" functionality, which allows a magic packet to activate telnet service on the box

High · published January 30, 2026

CVSS v4.0
8.7
EPSS
0%
Percentile
14.6
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

⚡ Just a magic packet away from trouble! Some NETGEAR products still offer "TelnetEnable" functionality, allowing attackers to activate Telnet service without breaking a sweat. 🔥 Think of it like an old-fashioned hotel key that anyone can use to open the door if they know the trick — no reception desk required to check in! If exploited, this vulnerability could let an attacker gain unauthorized access to your device, giving them the power to control settings, view sensitive information, or even launch attacks on your internal network. That's a potential nightmare scenario!

Put simply

Think of it like an old-fashioned hotel key that anyone can use to open the door if they know the trick — no reception desk required to check in! This vulnerability allows attackers to send a specially crafted packet to enable Telnet on devices that should ideally have this feature disabled, effectively granting them remote access without authentication.

What to do

If exploited, this vulnerability could let an attacker gain unauthorized access to your device, giving them the power to control settings, view sensitive information, or even launch attacks on your internal network. That's a potential nightmare scenario! To protect yourself, disable the Telnet service on all affected NETGEAR devices. If the devices are no longer supported, consider replacing them with newer models that don't have this security risk. Regularly check for firmware updates to ensure you're not exposed. You've got this! By taking these steps, you're safeguarding your network and restoring your security hero status! 🛡️

The record
Technical detail
CVSS v4.0
8.7 · HIGH
Vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
EPSS
0.00243 · 14.6th percentile
Weakness
CWE-1242 · Inclusion of Undocumented Features or Chicken Bits
Published
2026-01-30T03:53Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 30 JAN 03:53Z
    Some end of service NETGEAR products provide "TelnetEnable" functionality, which allows a magic packet to activate telnet service on the box
    cvelistv5