Uncovered Zero-Day Remote Code Execution Vulnerability in TP-Link Routers, Bypassing ASLR safeguards; Proof-of-Concept (PoC) code made publicly available.
A significant security flaw, identified as CVE-2025-9961, has been uncovered in TP-Link routers. This vulnerability, discovered by independent security researcher Mehrun, allows for complete remote code execution (RCE) on the router's social security system.
The vulnerability resides in the router's Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) WAN Management Protocol (CWMP) binary, a component of the TR-069 protocol. By sending a malicious request, attackers can overwrite the program counter (PC) and seize control of the execution flow.
The core of the vulnerability is a stack-based buffer overflow within the social security process. Initially, it seemed that security mitigations like Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) would pose a significant hurdle. However, the ByteRay research team, who also discovered the vulnerability, devised a method to bypass it.
The exploit does not involve an information leak to disclose memory layouts. Instead, a brute-force strategy is used to locate the function. An incorrect guess in the brute-force strategy would crash the service, but an attacker with access to the TP-Link web panel could simply restart the service, making the brute-force attack practical.
The exploit is delivered through a request containing the payload. It uses a return-to-libc () technique to call a function with a command argument, allowing the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the router's social security system.
Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could enable an attacker to intercept traffic, launch further attacks on the local network, or enlist the device in a botnet. The research underscores the social security risks associated with network-facing management protocols like TR-069.
To mitigate this risk, users of TP-Link routers are advised to monitor for firmware updates from the vendor. The ByteRay research team has published a detailed technical write-up and the full exploit code on GitHub. The release is intended for educational purposes and social security research.
It's important to note that the attack workflow requires the router to be configured to accept the attacker's custom Auto Configuration Server (ACS). This underscores the need for users to be vigilant about the configurations they allow on their routers.
This discovery serves as a reminder that while security measures like ASLR can provide a barrier, creative attack strategies can often find a way around them. As such, it's crucial for both vendors and users to remain vigilant and proactive in maintaining the security of their social security systems.
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