Authenticated command execution via incomplete SSID filtering
Published Jun 29, 2026 · Updated Jun 29, 2026
Command injection in Wavlink WL-NU516U1-A M16U1_V240425 allows remote authenticated users to execute shell commands via wireless.cgi. The multi_ssid handler sub_401D68 inserts decoded SSID2G2 or SSID5G2 POST data into set_bss.sh strings passed to system(), while its filter accepts $() command substitution. A low-privileged management session and network access to the CGI endpoint are required; exploitation runs attacker-chosen commands on the embedded device.
Summary
What happened
Command injection in Wavlink WL-NU516U1-A M16U1_V240425 allows remote authenticated users to execute shell commands via wireless.cgi. The multi_ssid handler sub_401D68 inserts decoded SSID2G2 or SSID5G2 POST data into set_bss.sh strings passed to system(), while its filter accepts $() command substitution. A low-privileged management session and network access to the CGI endpoint are required; exploitation runs attacker-chosen commands on the embedded device.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-13538
- Published
- Jun 29, 2026
- Updated
- Jun 29, 2026
- Vendor
- Wavlink
- Product
- WL-NU516U1-A
- Classifications
- CWE-77, CWE-74, T1059.004
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jun 29, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jun 29, 2026Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=M16U1_V240425
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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
- WL-NU516U1 SSID5G2 callback proof of conceptproof of concept · demonstrated
- WL-NU516U1 SSID2G2 callback proof of conceptproof of concept · demonstrated
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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