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Stack-based Buffer OverflowWeakness · CWE-121

CVE-2023-28760

HIGH · 7.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2025-10-02
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
80/100
Remediation priority · High
No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
TP-Link AX1800 WiFi 6 Router (Archer AX21) devices allow unauthenticated attackers (on the LAN) to execute arbitrary code as root via the db_dir field to minidlnad. The attacker obtains the ability to modify files.db, and that can be used to reach a stack-based buffer overflow in minidlna-1.1.2/upnpsoap.c. Exploitation requires that a USB flash drive is connected to the router (customers often do this to make a \\192.168.0.1 share available on their local network).

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

The TP-Link Archer AX21 router's miniDLNA service (minidlnad) contains a vulnerability where unauthenticated LAN attackers can manipulate the db_dir parameter to modify the files.db database. This modification triggers a stack-based buffer overflow in minidlna-1.1.2/upnpsoap.c, enabling arbitrary code execution with root privileges. Successful exploitation requires a USB flash drive to be connected to the router.

MitigationDisable the miniDLNA service or ensure no USB storage is connected when not in use, and apply vendor firmware updates when available. Restrict LAN access to trusted users only.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Adjacent
Complexity
High
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Confirm device model is TP-Link Archer AX21
    Access router web interface (typically http://192.168.0.1 or http://192.168.1.1) and navigate to Status or Device Info page to verify the model number is Archer AX21
    Affected if Device is a TP-Link Archer AX21 router
  2. Verify miniDLNA service is enabled
    Log into router admin panel, go to Advanced > USB Settings > Media Server, or run 'ps | grep minidlnad' via SSH/telnet if available, to check if miniDLNA/minidlnad service is turned on
    Affected if miniDLNA service is currently enabled on the router
  3. Check for connected USB storage
    Inspect USB ports on the router for an attached flash drive or external storage, or via the web interface under USB Settings > Storage Sharing to list active USB devices
    Affected if A USB flash drive or storage device is connected to the router
  4. Compare firmware version to vendor updates
    In router web interface, go to Administration > Firmware Update or Status page to note the current firmware version; check TP-Link support site for any post-March 2023 firmware releases for the Archer AX21
    Affected if Firmware version is older than the latest available vendor release
  5. Inspect for signs of exploitation
    If SSH/telnet access exists, check for unexpected processes running as root, unusual entries in /tmp or /var directories, or modified files.db timestamps using 'ls -la /tmp/files.db' (path may vary by firmware)
    Affected if Unusual root-level processes, modified database files, or unexpected files in router filesystem are found

A user is affected if they own a TP-Link Archer AX21 with miniDLNA enabled AND a USB storage device connected, especially on outdated firmware.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

From vendor data
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Disable the miniDLNA service or ensure no USB storage is connected when not in use, and apply vendor firmware updates when available. Restrict LAN access to trusted users only.

Have this fixed Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
18.0 hours of engineering $3,200
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-28760 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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