CVE-2023-1389Known exploitationPublic exploit

Root command execution via unsanitized country parameter

Published Mar 15, 2023 · Updated Oct 21, 2025

Command injection in TP-Link Archer AX21 firmware before 1.1.4 Build 20230219 allows remote attackers to execute commands as root. The set_country path passes the country value through merge_config_by_country, which concatenates it into a command executed by popen without sanitization. The locale API is exposed on the local network; WAN exploitation requires chaining a separate firewall race that briefly exposes the endpoint.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability100.00%
Next 30 days · Nov 1, 2026
Known exploitationReported
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Command injection in TP-Link Archer AX21 firmware before 1.1.4 Build 20230219 allows remote attackers to execute commands as root. The set_country path passes the country value through merge_config_by_country, which concatenates it into a command executed by popen without sanitization. The locale API is exposed on the local network; WAN exploitation requires chaining a separate firewall race that briefly exposes the endpoint.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-1389
Published
Mar 15, 2023
Updated
Oct 21, 2025
Vendor
TP-Link
Product
Archer AX21
Classifications
CWE-77, T1190, T1059.004
Attack vector
adjacent
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 15, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 11, 2023Exploitation reportedMirai exploitation of Archer AX21 routers
  3. May 1, 2023Exploitation reportedCISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog listing
  4. Oct 21, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=All versions prior to version 1.14 Build 20230219

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectoradjacent
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

TP-Link · Archer AX21version=All versions prior to version 1.14 Build 20230219

Published CVSS scores

8.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.8TenableCVSS:3.0/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.

Daily unique IPsShadowserver observations through Sep 28, 2026. Gaps indicate unavailable data.
Sep 22, 2026Sep 28, 2026
View daily counts
Reporting dayUnique IPs
Sep 22, 20269
Sep 23, 20266
Sep 24, 20265
Sep 25, 20267
Sep 26, 20262
Sep 27, 20268
Sep 28, 20264
Latest reporting daySep 28, 2026
Latest daily unique IPs4
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectoradjacent
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationReported
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-77Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection')
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application
T1059.004Unix Shell

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Reported exploitation

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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