Raw vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:A/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/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:XSummary
CVE-2025-15605 is a high-severity Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key (CWE-321) vulnerability in Tp-Link Archer Nx200. Its CVSS base score is 8.5 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Unsecured Credentials (T1552); ranked at the 3th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to IA-5 (Authenticator Management) and SC-12 (Cryptographic Key Establishment and Management) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
CVE-2025-15605 involves a hardcoded cryptographic key in the configuration mechanism of TP-Link Archer NX200, NX210, NX500, and NX600 routers. This vulnerability enables decryption and re-encryption of device configuration data, compromising its confidentiality and integrity. Published on 2026-03-23, it carries a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.3 (AV:A/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N) and is associated with CWE-321 (Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key) and CWE-798 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials).
An authenticated attacker with low privileges (PR:L) on an adjacent network (AV:A) can exploit this with low complexity and no user interaction. Successful exploitation allows the attacker to decrypt configuration files, make arbitrary modifications, and re-encrypt them, enabling tampering with sensitive data such as network settings, credentials, or administrative configurations.
Mitigation is available through firmware updates provided by TP-Link on their support pages for Archer NX200, NX210, NX500, and NX600 models. Additional details are outlined in TP-Link FAQ 5027.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-208943
Vulnerability Data
A hardcoded cryptographic key within the configuration mechanism on TP-Link Archer NX200, NX210, NX500 and NX600 enables decryption and re-encryption of device configuration data. An authenticated attacker may decrypt configuration files, modify them, and re-encrypt them, affecting the confidentiality and…
more
integrity of device configuration data.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Requiring cryptographic keys to be established and managed according to defined requirements prevents developers from embedding static unchangeable keys.
Authenticator management requires secure distribution and handling of credentials, structurally discouraging hard-coded values.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Secure-SDLC activities such as code review and secret scanning directly prevent embedding static keys.
PR.AA-01's credential/key-management processes can reduce the incentive to embed secrets but do not address or detect hard-coded values in source code, so the weakness remains fully possible.
Data-at-rest protection policies require proper key management and therefore discourage hard-coded keys.
Data-in-transit protection similarly depends on non-hard-coded keys for encryption.
Configuration baselines and reviews can prohibit hard-coded keys in deployed artifacts.
PR.AA-02 addresses human identity proofing and per-person credential issuance at enrollment; it has no bearing on whether developers embed static credentials in software.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Education on secure configuration practices discourages technical staff from embedding or relying on hard-coded credentials in systems and applications.
Key-management controls that govern generation, rotation and protection of keys make the use of embedded hard-coded cryptographic keys less likely and easier to detect.
Explicit prohibition of hard-coded passwords and unauthenticated external services stops credentials from being embedded directly in source code.
Contractual requirements for secure coding practices and evidence of testing make it less likely that hard-coded credentials will be introduced or remain undetected in delivered code.
Requiring independent oversight and timely disabling of non-human identities makes it harder for hard-coded or long-lived credentials to remain exploitable.
Mandating immediate replacement of vendor-supplied default credentials eliminates the use of hard-coded or factory passwords that attackers can trivially obtain from documentation or firmware.