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Archer Ax53 FirmwareOperating system · Tp Link

CVE-2026-30818

HIGH · 8.0 CVSS v3.1 Published 2026-04-08
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 1.7.1 or later.
See remediation →
82/100
Remediation priority · High
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
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 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.

In the news

Third-party coverage
Trending covered by 1 outlet this week · latest 4mo ago

Surfaced from public web coverage — external links open in a new tab.

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 · moderate confidence

OS command injection vulnerability in the dnsmasq module of TP-Link Archer AX53 v1.0 allows an authenticated adjacent attacker to execute arbitrary code via a specially crafted configuration file due to insufficient input validation during processing.

MitigationUpgrade to firmware version 1.7.1 Build 20260213 or later. Until patched, limit adjacent network access to the device management interface and disable remote management if not required.

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

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Archer Ax53 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< 1.7.1

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
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:L/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. Identify device model and firmware version
    Access the router web interface (typically at 192.168.0.1) and navigate to Status or System settings to view the firmware version, or use the TP-Link Tether mobile app to check the firmware version
    Affected if The firmware version displayed is below 1.7.1 (for example, 1.6.0, 1.5.0, etc.)
  2. Verify dnsmasq is accessible
    Check router status page or network settings to confirm the DNS service (dnsmasq) is enabled and running - this is typically found under Advanced > Network > DHCP Server or similar
    Affected if dnsmasq/DHCP DNS service is enabled on the device
  3. Confirm adjacent network exposure
    Review router wireless settings to determine if guest networks, WDS, or bridge modes are enabled that allow non-routing adjacent devices to access the router's management interface
    Affected if Guest network, WDS, or similar adjacent network access features are enabled without strict isolation
  4. Check administrative access controls
    Examine router security settings to see if default admin credentials remain in use, and whether the management interface is accessible from the local network only or also from WAN/Internet
    Affected if Default credentials are unchanged OR remote management from WAN is enabled in addition to being on the adjacent network

A user is affected if their TP-Link Archer AX53 firmware version is below 1.7.1 and dnsmasq is enabled with accessible administrative authentication from an adjacent network position.

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.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 1.7.1 or later
Fixed in 1.7.1
Interim mitigation

Upgrade to firmware version 1.7.1 Build 20260213 or later. Until patched, limit adjacent network access to the device management interface and disable remote management if not required.

Recommended fix High confidence

Firmware version 1.7.1 Build 20260213 or later for TP-Link Archer AX53 v1.0

  1. 1. Log into the TP-Link Archer AX53 web management interface
  2. 2. Navigate to System > Firmware Upgrade or Administration > Firmware Upgrade
  3. 3. Check the current firmware version under Device Info or System Tools
  4. 4. Download firmware version 1.7.1 Build 20260213 (or later) from the official TP-Link support site (www.tp-link.com)
  5. 5. In the web interface, click Browse or Choose File and select the downloaded firmware file
  6. 6. Click Upgrade or Update to begin the firmware update process
  7. 7. Wait for the upgrade to complete - do not power off the device during this process
  8. 8. After reboot, log back into the web interface and verify the firmware version shows 1.7.1 Build 20260213 or later

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Archer Ax53 Firmware Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation12.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA3.0 h
25.0 hours of engineering $4,400
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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-2026-30818 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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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
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data