# CVE-2020-10884: Hardcoded credentials in Archer A7

> Network-adjacent attackers can execute arbitrary code as root on TP-Link Archer A7 routers by exploiting a hard-coded encryption key in the tdpServer service.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 25 Mar 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-2gp5-7cf4-978c

## What is CVE-2020-10884?

CVE-2020-10884 is a high-severity vulnerability in TP-Link Archer A7, published on 25 Mar 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

This vulnerability allows network-adjacent attackers execute arbitrary code on affected installations of TP-Link Archer A7 Firmware Ver: 190726 AC1750 routers. Authentication is not required to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the tdpServer service, which listens on UDP port 20002 by default. This issue results from the use of hard-coded encryption key. An attacker can leverage this in conjunction with other vulnerabilities to execute code in the context of root. Was ZDI-CAN-9652.

Weakness: CWE-798 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials), CWE-321 (Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-10884?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Tp-Link Ac1750 Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-10884?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-10884 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-10884 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2020-10884 exists.

Public exploit code:

- TP-Link Archer A7/C7 Unauthenticated LAN Remote Code Execution (metasploit)
- TP-Link Archer A7/C7 - Unauthenticated LAN Remote Code Execution (Metasploit) (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in TP-Link Archer A7

- [CVE-2020-28347](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-28347/): Command injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-10881](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-10881/): Memory corruption in Archer A7 (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-24352](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-24352/): Memory corruption in AC1750 (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2022-24353](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-24353/): Memory corruption in AC1750 (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2022-24354](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-24354/): Integer overflow in AC1750 (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-10884 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-10884 is a high-severity vulnerability in TP-Link Archer A7, published on 25 Mar 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2020-10884 exists.

Affected product: TP-Link Archer A7. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-10884/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-10884/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-10884
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-10884
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-10884

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-10884/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.