---
id: "CVE-2023-1389"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2023-1389"]
title: "tp-link archer ax21 firmware: TP-Link Archer AX21 (AX1800) firmware versions before 1.1.4 Build 20230219 contained a command injection\u2026"
severity: "critical"
cvss: 8.8
epss: null
exploited: true
status: "open"
category: "infrastructure"
products: [{"name": "TP-Link Archer AX21", "fixed": [], "affected": "", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "tp-link archer ax21 firmware", "fixed": ["1.1.4"], "affected": "< 1.1.4", "ecosystem": "vendor"}]
ecosystems: ["vendor"]
tags: ["archer-ax21", "exploited", "home-router", "infrastructure", "small-office-router", "tp-link"]
not_affected_if: ["not-archer-ax21"]
published_at: "2023-03-15T23:15:09+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T19:11:52+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-23T22:29:04+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "kev", "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2023-1389", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:11:52+00:00"}, {"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-1389", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T22:29:04+00:00"}]
---

# tp-link archer ax21 firmware: TP-Link Archer AX21 (AX1800) firmware versions before 1.1.4 Build 20230219 contained a command injection…

TP-Link Archer AX-21 routers contain a command injection flaw that lets remote attackers run code on the device. CISA lists it as actively exploited in the wild.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## Affected

- vendor:TP-Link Archer AX21 affected ? fixed ?
- vendor:tp-link archer ax21 firmware affected < 1.1.4 fixed 1.1.4

## Fix

Apply the vendor firmware update per TP-Link instructions (CISA required action); exact fixed version is unknown from the sources.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T19:11:52+00:00 kev https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2023-1389
- 2026-10-23T22:29:04+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-1389

## From the sources

TP-Link Archer AX21 (AX1800) firmware versions before 1.1.4 Build 20230219 contained a command injection vulnerability in the country form of the /cgi-bin/luci;stok=/locale endpoint on the web management interface. Specifically, the country parameter of the write operation was not sanitized before being used in a call to popen(), allowing an unauthenticated attacker to inject commands, which would be run as root, with a simple POST request.

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_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_