Credential disclosure via unauthenticated dropbearpwd access
Published May 3, 2024 · Updated Sep 2, 2026
Authentication bypass in TP-Link legacy routers and access points allows network-adjacent attackers to disclose stored credentials over HTTP. The default httpd service on TCP port 80 exposes dropbearpwd data without authentication; public advisories do not disclose the spoofed input or failed check. Access requires adjacency to the device network, and the disclosed credentials enable further compromise.
Summary
What happened
Authentication bypass in TP-Link legacy routers and access points allows network-adjacent attackers to disclose stored credentials over HTTP. The default httpd service on TCP port 80 exposes dropbearpwd data without authentication; public advisories do not disclose the spoofed input or failed check. Access requires adjacency to the device network, and the disclosed credentials enable further compromise.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-50224
- Published
- May 3, 2024
- Updated
- Sep 2, 2026
- Vendor
- TP-LINK Technologies Co., Ltd.
- Product
- TL-WR749N
- Classifications
- CWE-290, T1555
- Attack vector
- adjacent
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 3, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 3, 2025Exploitation reportedCISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities listing
- Sep 2, 2026Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=BR 6.0
- Affected versionversion=BR 7.0
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Reported exploitation
- CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities listingknown exploited catalog
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo