The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued a warning about several popular TP-Link router models that have once again been exploited by hackers.
Three TP-Link router models have been attacked with a command injection vulnerability with a severity score of 8.8; the flaw is considered highly severe and was actually discovered a few years ago but was recently updated by CISA on the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog.
According to Cybernews, this may indicate that attackers have begun to exploit the vulnerability again. The flaw allows hackers to execute commands on vulnerable TP-Link routers without proper authorization. The bug itself appears in the web management interface of the router where a specific parameter is processed in a GET request. Basically, it fails to become properly validated with user input and this is what allows a threat actor to inject malicious commands into the router’s firmware.
Even more dangerous on publicly exposed routers with remote access features enabled, threat actors can also successfully exploit the flaw from within the same network.
CISA warns users that these vulnerabilities and others of the same type are “frequent attack vectors for malicious cyber actors and pose a significant risk to the federal enterprise.” Federal agencies must remove the affected routers from their networks by July 7th, 2025 with CISA urging other organizations to also remove these models:
- TP-Link TL-WR940N
- TP-Link TL-WR841N
- TP-Link TL-WR740N
A very popular model in the consumer market, the TP-Link TL-WR940N Mbps router (V2/V4) was last updated with new firmware back in 2016. Another affected model is the TP-Link TL-WR841N (V8/V10) which last received a firmware update back in 2015. Lastly, the TP-Link TL-WR740N (V1/V2) hasn’t been updated for fifteen years.
All three of these models are all at end-of-life and won’t receive any further security updates.
What to do if you own an affected model
If you own one of the affected router models, the recommendation is to replace it right away with one of the best Wi-Fi routers instead as they will receive frequent software updates and patches from their manufacturer.
It’s also a good idea to make sure that you’re using one of the best antivirus software programs – many of these will offer additional security features such as a VPN that can help protect you when you’re online. Likewise, many router makers (including TP-Link and Netgear) offer security packages for their devices that can protect your entire home network.
Security aside, you’re getting a significantly worse online experience when using an outdated router. From slow internet speeds to difficulties handling the increased number of connected devices in your home, you owe it to yourself and to your devices to use a faster, newer router instead.
If you want the latest and greatest Wi-Fi and have the budget for it, one of the best Wi-Fi 7 routers will provide you with the best experience possible. However, if you don’t mind not having access to the faster 6GHz band, one of the best Wi-Fi 6 routers will still be a major upgrade.
By using a new router with frequent security updates and by making sure to install them when they become available, you’re essentially adding an extra layer of protection for all of the devices on your home network. Just like with outdated software, an old router could also be putting you at serious risk online which is why you should take CISA’s recommendations here seriously.
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