TP-Link Archer AX-21 Command Injection Vulnerability
n/a — TP-Link Archer AX21 (AX1800)
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.
8.8
100.0%
Vector breakdown
- Attack vector
- Adjacent
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Published
- Mar 15, 2023
- Modified
- Jun 17, 2026
- Added to KEV
- May 1, 2023
- Federal patch due
- May 22, 2023
CISA required action
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Weakness classification
Affected packages
Proof-of-concept & exploitation references
3 foundWeaponization
Public repositories whose name or description references CVE-2023-1389, found via a live GitHub search at request time. These are community-sourced signals, not a verified working exploit — cross-check each one before relying on it, and treat higher star counts and recent activity as (weak) corroboration, not proof.
References
Frequently asked questions
What is CVE-2023-1389?
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.
How severe is CVE-2023-1389?
CVE-2023-1389 has a CVSS base score of 8.8 out of 10 (CVSS 3.1).
Is CVE-2023-1389 actively exploited in the wild?
Yes. CVE-2023-1389 is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added May 1, 2023, meaning CISA has confirmed evidence of active exploitation.
What is the EPSS score for CVE-2023-1389?
100.0% - meaning FIRST.org's EPSS model estimates a 100.0% probability this vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within 30 days (100% percentile among all scored CVEs).
Is there exploit tooling available for CVE-2023-1389?
Yes - a public Nuclei template referencing CVE-2023-1389 exist in public repositories we checked. We also found 3 public GitHub repositories referencing this CVE.
What type of vulnerability is CVE-2023-1389?
CVE-2023-1389 is classified under CWE-77 (CWE-77 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection')).
Cross-checked against
Impactr finds and proves whether CVE-2023-1389 — or flaws like it — are actually reachable in your own web apps and APIs, with a reproducible exploit as evidence.