Cyber Resilience

CVE-2026-0834

Auth Bypass in Tp-Link Archer Ax53 Firmware 1.0

Published
21 January 2026
Modified
23 April 2026
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v4 7.2
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:4.0/AV:A/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:H/VA:H/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:X
EPSS Score 0.0040 33th percentile
Risk Priority 36 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2026-0834 is a high-severity Authentication Bypass by Spoofing (CWE-290) vulnerability in Tp-Link Archer Ax53 Firmware. Its CVSS base score is 7.2 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Adversary-in-the-Middle (T1557); ranked at the 33th 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-2 (Identification and Authentication (Organizational Users)) and IA-3 (Device Identification and Authentication) — 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-2026-0834 is a logic vulnerability (CWE-290) in the TDDP module of several TP-Link router models, including Archer C20 v5 (versions prior to EU_V5_260317 or US_V5_260419), Archer C20 v6.0 (versions prior to V6_251031), Archer AX53 v1.0 (versions prior to V1_251215), and TL-WR841N v13 (versions prior to 0.9.1 Build 20231120 Rel.62366). The flaw enables unauthenticated attackers to execute administrative commands on affected devices. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.8 (AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), reflecting high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts.

Unauthenticated attackers on the adjacent network can exploit this vulnerability remotely without credentials by leveraging the TDDP module. Successful exploitation allows execution of administrative commands, such as triggering factory resets or device reboots, resulting in configuration loss and denial-of-service through interrupted device availability.

Mitigation requires updating to patched firmware versions: Archer C20 v6.0 to V6_251031 or later, Archer C20 v5 to EU_V5_260317 (EU) or US_V5_260419 (US) or later, Archer AX53 v1.0 to V1_251215 or later, and TL-WR841N v13 to 0.9.1 Build 20231120 Rel.62366 or later. TP-Link provides these updates via model-specific download pages, with additional details in the originating advisory at https://mattg.systems/posts/cve-2026-0834/.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

Logic vulnerability in TP-Link Archer C20 v5, 6.0, Archer AX53 v1.0 and TL-WR841N v13 (TDDP module) allows unauthenticated adjacent attackers to execute administrative commands including factory reset and device reboot without credentials. Attackers on the adjacent network can remotely trigger…

more

factory resets and reboots without credentials, causing configuration loss and interruption of device availability.This issue affects Archer C20 v6.0 < V6_251031, Archer C20 v5 <EU_V5_260317 or < US_V5_260419 Archer AX53 v1.0 < V1_251215 TL-WR841N v13 < 0.9.1 Build 20231120 Rel.62366

CWE(s)

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1557 Adversary-in-the-Middle Credential Access
Adversaries may attempt to position themselves between two or more networked devices using an adversary-in-the-middle (AiTM) technique to support follow-on behaviors such as [Network Sniffing](https://attack.
T1557.001 Name Resolution Poisoning and SMB Relay Credential Access
By responding to LLMNR/NBT-NS/mDNS network traffic, adversaries may spoof an authoritative source for name resolution to force communication with an adversary controlled system.
T1036 Masquerading Stealth
Adversaries may attempt to manipulate features of their artifacts to make them appear legitimate or benign to users and/or security tools.
T1036.001 Invalid Code Signature Stealth
Adversaries may attempt to mimic features of valid code signatures to increase the chance of deceiving a user, analyst, or tool.
T1134 Access Token Manipulation Stealth
Adversaries may modify access tokens to operate under a different user or system security context to perform actions and bypass access controls.
T1134.001 Token Impersonation/Theft Stealth
Adversaries may duplicate then impersonate another user's existing token to escalate privileges and bypass access controls.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-44447Same vendor: Tp-Link
CVE-2023-50224Same vendor: Tp-Link
CVE-2023-37284Same product: Tp-Link Archer C20
CVE-2025-62501Same product: Tp-Link Archer Ax53
CVE-2026-30818Same product: Tp-Link Archer Ax53
CVE-2025-62405Same product: Tp-Link Archer Ax53
CVE-2025-58455Same product: Tp-Link Archer Ax53
CVE-2026-30816Same product: Tp-Link Archer Ax53
CVE-2025-15608Same product: Tp-Link Archer Ax53
CVE-2025-62673Same product: Tp-Link Archer Ax53

Affected Assets

tp-link
archer ax53 firmware
1.0
tp-link
archer c20 firmware
6.0

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 3 hardening rules · 3 OS baselines
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V6.4.3
  • V10.4.16
  • V10.5.1
  • V11.4.3

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

Proper unique identification and authentication of users directly stops spoofing-based bypass of authentication.

Device identification and authentication before connection prevents spoofing of devices to bypass auth.

Authentication of non-organizational users blocks external spoofing attempts against the scheme.

Authenticator management ensures credentials cannot be easily spoofed or reused to bypass authentication.

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.

PR.AA-04 full match
prevents

Protecting, conveying, and verifying identity assertions specifically prevents the spoofing that enables authentication bypass.

PR.AA-03 mostly match
prevents

Requiring authentication of users/services/hardware directly counters spoofing-based bypass when strong methods are used.

PR.AA-02 partial match
prevents

Proofing and binding identities reduces spoofing opportunities during enrollment but does not address runtime authentication implementation flaws.

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.

degrades

Secure authentication control directly mitigates authentication bypass by spoofing.

degrades

Authentication information management directly addresses credential handling that prevents spoofing.

finds

Security testing can detect spoofing vulnerabilities but does not prevent them by itself.

prevents

Access control policy reduces spoofing opportunities but does not prescribe authentication mechanisms.

prevents

Identity management supports unique identities but does not guarantee resistance to spoofing.

prevents

Access rights assignment limits exposure but does not enforce authentication strength.

Hardening callouts derived

Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).

Oracle Linux 8 (1 rule)
  • V-248827 OL 8 must not have the rsh-server package installed. prevents CWE-290
RHEL 7 (1 rule)
  • V-204442 The Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system must not have the rsh-server package installed. prevents CWE-290
RHEL 8 (1 rule)
  • V-230492 RHEL 8 must not have the rsh-server package installed. prevents CWE-290

References