Raw vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:A/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:L/SI:L/SA:L/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-2026-30818 is a high-severity OS Command Injection (CWE-78) vulnerability in Tp-Link Archer Ax53 Firmware. Its CVSS base score is 8.5 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Command and Scripting Interpreter (T1059); ranked in the top 34% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SA-11 (Developer Testing and Evaluation) and SI-10 (Information Input Validation) — 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-2026-30818 is an OS command injection vulnerability (CWE-78) in the dnsmasq module of the TP-Link Archer AX53 v1.0 router firmware. The flaw arises from insufficient input validation when processing a specially crafted configuration file, enabling arbitrary code execution. It affects AX53 v1.0 firmware versions prior to 1.7.1 Build 20260213 and carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.0 (AV:A/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).
An authenticated adjacent attacker can exploit this vulnerability by supplying a malicious configuration file to the dnsmasq module. Successful exploitation allows execution of arbitrary operating system commands, potentially enabling the attacker to modify device configurations, access sensitive information, or further compromise the system's integrity.
Mitigation is available through a firmware update to version 1.7.1 Build 20260213 or later, which TP-Link has released for the Archer AX53 v1.0 on their support download pages for various regions. Additional details are provided in the Talos Intelligence vulnerability report and TP-Link's FAQ on securing routers. Security practitioners should verify and apply the patch promptly, especially for devices on adjacent networks.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2026-20550
Vulnerability Data
An OS command injection vulnerability in the dnsmasq module of TP-Link Archer AX53 v1.0 allows an authenticated adjacent attacker to execute arbitrary code when a specially crafted configuration file is processed due to insufficient input validation. Successful exploitation may allow…
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the attacker to modify device configuration, access sensitive information, or further compromise system integrity. This issue affects AX53 v1.0: before 1.7.1 Build 20260213.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
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V1.2.5V1.2.8V15.2.5
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Developer testing and evaluation can discover missing or incorrect command sanitization during development.
Input validation directly neutralizes or rejects special characters that would otherwise alter OS command structure.
Least privilege reduces the permissions available to any process that could be subverted by injected commands.
Least functionality restricts available OS commands and interpreters, limiting the blast radius of injection.
Secure engineering principles require proper neutralization of untrusted input before command construction.
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.PS-06's SDLC practices directly require secure coding and input handling that blocks command-injection defects, yet the single broad outcome leaves many specific neutralization vectors and verification gaps unaddressed.
Routine patching/maintenance can remediate known command-injection CVEs in dependencies (partial forward) but does nothing to stop developers from introducing improper neutralization in custom code (none reverse).
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.
Security testing and code review target insecure use of operating-system command interfaces, catching command-injection flaws introduced during development.