{"id":"CVE-2023-1389","published":"2023-03-15T23:15:09Z","modified":"2026-06-17T05:27:50Z","title":"TP-Link Archer AX-21 Command Injection Vulnerability","vendor":"TP-Link","product":"Archer AX21","tier":"core","eol":null,"description":{"text":"TP-Link Archer AX21 (AX1800) firmware versions before 1.1.4 Build 20230219 contained a command injection vulnerability in the country form of the /cgi-bin/luci;stok=/locale endpoint on the web management interface. Specifically, the country parameter of the write operation was not sanitized before being used in a call to popen(), allowing an unauthenticated attacker to inject commands, which would be run as root, with a simple POST request.","provenance":"source","from":"NVD"},"summary":{"text":"The TP-Link Archer AX21 (AX1800) web management interface has a command injection flaw in the country parameter of the /cgi-bin/luci;stok=/locale endpoint in firmware before 1.1.4 Build 20230219, where unsanitized input is passed to popen(). An unauthenticated attacker on the adjacent network can exploit it with a single crafted POST request, with no user interaction, to run commands as root.","provenance":"ai","model":"claude-haiku-5-5","generatedAt":"2026-10-30T13:36:35Z"},"cvss":{"score":8.8,"severity":"HIGH","version":"3.1","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","provenance":"source","from":"NVD"},"epss":{"score":0.99999,"percentile":0.99992,"date":"2026-10-30","provenance":"source"},"kev":{"dateAdded":"2023-05-01","dueDate":"2023-05-22","ransomware":false,"requiredAction":"Apply updates per vendor instructions.","notes":"https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/download/archer-ax21/v3/#Firmware;  https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-1389","provenance":"source"},"vulncheckKev":{"dateAdded":"2023-04-12","exploitedFirstSeen":"2023-04-24","ransomware":false,"evidence":[{"url":"https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/blog/2023/4/21/tp-link-wan-side-vulnerability-cve-2023-1389-added-to-the-mirai-botnet-arsenal","date":"2023-04-24"},{"url":"https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json","date":"2023-05-01"},{"url":"https://www.fortinet.com/blog/threat-research/condi-ddos-botnet-spreads-via-tp-links-cve-2023-1389","date":"2023-06-20"},{"url":"https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/mirai-variant-targets-iot-exploits/","date":"2023-06-22"},{"url":"https://www.fortinet.com/blog/threat-research/Iz1h9-campaign-enhances-arsenal-with-scores-of-exploits","date":"2023-10-09"},{"url":"https://dashboard.shadowserver.org/statistics/honeypot/vulnerability/map/?day=2023-11-18&host_type=src&vulnerability=cve-2023-1389","date":"2023-11-18"},{"url":"https://dashboard.shadowserver.org/statistics/honeypot/vulnerability/map/?day=2023-11-25&host_type=src&vulnerability=cve-2023-1389","date":"2023-11-25"},{"url":"https://dashboard.shadowserver.org/statistics/honeypot/vulnerability/map/?day=2023-11-28&host_type=src&vulnerability=cve-2023-1389","date":"2023-11-28"},{"url":"https://dashboard.shadowserver.org/statistics/honeypot/vulnerability/map/?day=2023-11-29&host_type=src&vulnerability=cve-2023-1389","date":"2023-11-29"},{"url":"https://dashboard.shadowserver.org/statistics/honeypot/vulnerability/map/?day=2023-12-05&host_type=src&vulnerability=cve-2023-1389","date":"2023-12-05"}],"evidenceTotal":935,"provenance":"source"},"exploited":true,"otx":{"pulseCount":50,"pulses":[{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 29, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ae20c1db17e7057ae7d9ad1","created":"2026-10-28"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 28, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ae0ba7e0e2a97ff7b218819","created":"2026-10-27"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 27, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6adf68b85c3e852f3c111d18","created":"2026-10-26"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 24, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6adb740e397c3ad4799aa4cd","created":"2026-10-23"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 23, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ada236fcfba2dfa730ea482","created":"2026-10-22"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 22, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad8d33a077cbb5cab524d80","created":"2026-10-21"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 21, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad78130c4d1ac2be83a8b6d","created":"2026-10-20"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 20, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad62f63c24a405a3423cc13","created":"2026-10-19"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 19, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad4dda174e5797d0bd238b7","created":"2026-10-18"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 18, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad38c22e1848f8189d1c121","created":"2026-10-17"}],"provenance":"machine"},"cwes":[{"id":"CWE-77","name":"Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command"}],"references":[{"url":"http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/174131/TP-Link-Archer-AX21-Command-Injection.html","tags":["Exploit","Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"]},{"url":"https://www.tenable.com/security/research/tra-2023-11","tags":["Exploit","Third Party Advisory"]},{"url":"http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/174131/TP-Link-Archer-AX21-Command-Injection.html","tags":["Exploit","Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"]},{"url":"https://www.tenable.com/security/research/tra-2023-11","tags":["Exploit","Third Party Advisory"]},{"url":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2023-1389","tags":["US Government Resource"]}],"techniques":[{"id":"T1106","name":"Native API","tactics":["execution"],"provenance":"source","basis":"ctid-kev","bases":["ctid-kev"],"basisDetail":"CTID Mappings Explorer KEV 07/28/2025 (ATT&CK 16.1); capability: Command Injection","mappingType":"exploitation_technique","evidence":[],"comment":"CVE-2023-1389 is a command injection vulnerability in one of the API components within the TP-Link Archer router’s web management interface. Public reports have reported that multiple botnet malware under the Mirai variants, including Condi, are targeting these vulnerable devices. \n","confidence":"high"},{"id":"T1496","name":"Resource Hijacking","tactics":["impact"],"provenance":"source","basis":"ctid-kev","bases":["ctid-kev"],"basisDetail":"CTID Mappings Explorer KEV 07/28/2025 (ATT&CK 16.1); capability: Command Injection","mappingType":"primary_impact","evidence":[],"comment":"CVE-2023-1389 is a command injection vulnerability in one of the API components within the TP-Link Archer router’s web management interface. Public reports have reported that multiple botnet malware under the Mirai variants, including Condi, are targeting these vulnerable devices. \n","confidence":"high"},{"id":"T1041","name":"Exfiltration Over C2 Channel","tactics":["exfiltration"],"provenance":"source","basis":"ctid-kev","bases":["ctid-kev"],"basisDetail":"CTID Mappings Explorer KEV 07/28/2025 (ATT&CK 16.1); capability: Command Injection","mappingType":"secondary_impact","evidence":[],"comment":"CVE-2023-1389 is a command injection vulnerability in one of the API components within the TP-Link Archer router’s web management interface. Public reports have reported that multiple botnet malware under the Mirai variants, including Condi, are targeting these vulnerable devices. \n","confidence":"high"},{"id":"T1070","name":"Indicator Removal","tactics":["stealth"],"provenance":"source","basis":"ctid-kev","bases":["ctid-kev"],"basisDetail":"CTID Mappings Explorer KEV 07/28/2025 (ATT&CK 16.1); capability: Command Injection","mappingType":"secondary_impact","evidence":[],"comment":"CVE-2023-1389 is a command injection vulnerability in one of the API components within the TP-Link Archer router’s web management interface. Public reports have reported that multiple botnet malware under the Mirai variants, including Condi, are targeting these vulnerable devices. \n","confidence":"high"},{"id":"T1498","name":"Network Denial of Service","tactics":["impact"],"provenance":"source","basis":"ctid-kev","bases":["ctid-kev"],"basisDetail":"CTID Mappings Explorer KEV 07/28/2025 (ATT&CK 16.1); capability: Command Injection","mappingType":"secondary_impact","evidence":[],"comment":"CVE-2023-1389 is a command injection vulnerability in one of the API components within the TP-Link Archer router’s web management interface. Public reports have reported that multiple botnet malware under the Mirai variants, including Condi, are targeting these vulnerable devices. \n","confidence":"high"}],"reports":[],"affected":[],"advisories":[],"euvd":{"id":"EUVD-2023-23645","url":"https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/EUVD-2023-23645","exploited":true,"exploitedSince":"2023-05-01","provenance":"source"},"exploits":[{"id":51677,"url":"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/51677","title":"TP-Link Archer AX21 - Unauthenticated Command Injection","type":"remote","platform":"hardware","date":"2023-08-10","verified":false,"provenance":"source"}],"exploitSources":{"exploitdb":{"count":1,"earliest":"2023-08-10"},"pocGithub":{"count":2,"skipped":0,"earliest":"2023-07-28","earliestUrl":"https://github.com/Voyag3r-Security/CVE-2023-1389","repos":[{"name":"Voyag3r-Security/CVE-2023-1389","url":"https://github.com/Voyag3r-Security/CVE-2023-1389","stars":17,"created":"2023-07-28"},{"name":"werwolfz/CVE-2023-1389","url":"https://github.com/werwolfz/CVE-2023-1389","stars":1,"created":"2023-12-25"}]},"nuclei":[{"id":"CVE-2023-1389","name":"TP-Link Archer AX21 (AX1800) - Unauthenticated Command Injection","severity":"critical","path":"http/cves/2023/CVE-2023-1389.yaml","url":"https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/blob/main/http/cves/2023/CVE-2023-1389.yaml"}],"first":{"date":"2023-07-28","source":"PoC-in-GitHub","url":"https://github.com/Voyag3r-Security/CVE-2023-1389"},"provenance":"source"},"detections":{"cveRules":[{"title":"CVE-2023-1389 Potential Exploitation Attempt - Unauthenticated Command Injection In TP-Link Archer AX21","id":"6c7defa9-69f8-4c34-b815-41fce3931754","level":"medium","status":"test","path":"rules-emerging-threats/2023/Exploits/CVE-2023-1389/proxy_exploit_cve_2023_1389_unauth_command_injection_tplink_archer_ax21.yml","url":"https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules-emerging-threats/2023/Exploits/CVE-2023-1389/proxy_exploit_cve_2023_1389_unauth_command_injection_tplink_archer_ax21.yml","techniques":["T1190"]}]},"exploitRefs":["http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/174131/TP-Link-Archer-AX21-Command-Injection.html","https://www.tenable.com/security/research/tra-2023-11"],"flow":[{"stage":"exploitation","techniques":["T1106"],"provenance":"source"},{"stage":"primary","techniques":["T1496"],"provenance":"source"},{"stage":"secondary","techniques":["T1070","T1041","T1498"],"provenance":"source"}],"timeline":[{"date":"2023-03-15","kind":"published","label":"Published (NVD)","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-1389","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2023-04-24","kind":"exploited-reported","label":"Exploitation first reported (VulnCheck KEV evidence)","url":"https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/blog/2023/4/21/tp-link-wan-side-vulnerability-cve-2023-1389-added-to-the-mirai-botnet-arsenal","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2023-05-01","kind":"kev","label":"Added to CISA KEV","url":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2023-05-01","kind":"euvd-exploited","label":"ENISA EUVD: exploited","url":"https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/EUVD-2023-23645","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2023-07-28","kind":"exploit-public","label":"First public exploit: PoC-in-GitHub; later: Exploit-DB 2023-08-10","url":"https://github.com/Voyag3r-Security/CVE-2023-1389","provenance":"source"}],"speed":{"daysToPublicExploit":135,"firstExploitFrom":"PoC-in-GitHub","daysToKev":47},"priority":{"score":69.2,"factors":[{"name":"In a KEV catalog","points":35.0,"detail":"listed in CISA KEV and VulnCheck KEV"},{"name":"Recent KEV listing","points":0.0,"detail":"added 1298 days ago"},{"name":"Known ransomware use","points":0.0,"detail":"not known"},{"name":"EPSS percentile","points":20.0,"detail":"percentile 0.9999"},{"name":"Named in threat reports","points":0.0,"detail":"0 reports"},{"name":"Public exploit code","points":5.0,"detail":"2 NVD references tagged Exploit; 1 Exploit-DB entry; 2 PoC-in-GitHub repos; 1 nuclei template"},{"name":"Mentioned in OTX pulses","points":3.0,"detail":"50 pulses"},{"name":"CVSS severity","points":6.16,"detail":"base score 8.8"},{"name":"End-of-life product","points":0.0,"detail":"supported or unknown"}]}}