CVE-2025-9090Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Root shell access via Telnet service activation

Published Aug 17, 2025 · Updated Aug 18, 2025

Command execution in Tenda AC20 firmware 16.03.08.12 allows remote authenticated users to activate Telnet and obtain a root shell. The /goform/telnet handler invokes TendaTelnet, which passes the configured LAN address into a shell command while enabling the console and restarting telnetd. Network access with low privileges is required; successful exploitation exposes an interactive root shell for arbitrary command execution.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability14.11%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Command execution in Tenda AC20 firmware 16.03.08.12 allows remote authenticated users to activate Telnet and obtain a root shell. The /goform/telnet handler invokes TendaTelnet, which passes the configured LAN address into a shell command while enabling the console and restarting telnetd. Network access with low privileges is required; successful exploitation exposes an interactive root shell for arbitrary command execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-9090
Published
Aug 17, 2025
Updated
Aug 18, 2025
Vendor
Shenzhen Tenda Technology Co., Ltd.
Product
AC20
Classifications
CWE-77, CWE-74, T1210
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 17, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 18, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=16.03.08.12

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Shenzhen Tenda Technology Co., Ltd. · AC20version=16.03.08.12

Published CVSS scores

6.3VulDBCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
2.1VulDBCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
6.5VulDBAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P
9.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/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.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-77Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection')
CWE-74Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection')
T1210Exploitation of Remote Services

Public exploit references

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

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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