CVE-2026-12001

Privileged access via embedded password-file credentials

Published Jul 27, 2026 · Updated Jul 27, 2026

Hardcoded credentials in TP-Link router firmware allow physically proximate attackers to access privileged functions on affected devices. The firmware image embeds authentication-related credential material in a password file that firmware analysis can recover. Exploitation requires physical access to obtain and analyze the image; TP-Link does not identify which privileged functions become accessible.

CVSS severity5.2
Medium
EPSS probability0.25%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Hardcoded credentials in TP-Link router firmware allow physically proximate attackers to access privileged functions on affected devices. The firmware image embeds authentication-related credential material in a password file that firmware analysis can recover. Exploitation requires physical access to obtain and analyze the image; TP-Link does not identify which privileged functions become accessible.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-12001
Published
Jul 27, 2026
Updated
Jul 27, 2026
Vendor
TP-Link Systems Inc.
Product
TL-WR850N
Classifications
CWE-798, T1552.001
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 27, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jul 27, 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <TL-WR850N(IN)_V3.48_3.16.0 Build 260422_2048

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorphysical
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

TP-Link Systems Inc. · TL-WR850Nversion=0 <TL-WR850N(IN)_V3.48_3.16.0 Build 260422_2048
TP-Link Systems Inc. · Archer MR200version=0 <Archer MR200(EU)_V5.20_1.3.0 Build 260319
TP-Link Systems Inc. · Archer C20version=0 <Archer C20(US)_V6_250630
TP-Link Systems Inc. · TL-WR845Nversion=0 <TL-WR845N(UN)_V4_250401

Published CVSS scores

5.2TP-Link Systems Inc.CVSS:4.0/AV:P/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

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

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-798Use of Hard-coded Credentials
T1552.001Unsecured Credentials: Credentials In Files

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.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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