# CVE-2022-25596: ASUS RT-AC86U - Heap-based buffer overflow

> An unauthenticated LAN attacker can execute arbitrary code or disrupt service via a heap-based buffer overflow in the router's configuration function.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 7 Apr 2022
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-39fr-rq99-f592

## What is CVE-2022-25596?

CVE-2022-25596 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in ASUS RT-AC86U, published on 7 Apr 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

ASUS RT-AC56U’s configuration function has a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability due to insufficient validation for the decryption parameter length, which allows an unauthenticated LAN attacker to execute arbitrary code, perform arbitrary operations and disrupt service.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-25596?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Asus Rt-Ac86u Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-25596?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-25596 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-25596 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-25596 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in ASUS RT-AC86U

- [CVE-2023-35087](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-35087/): ASUS RT-AX56U V2 & RT-AC86U - Format String - 2 (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-38031](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38031/): ASUS RT-AC86U - Command injection vulnerability - 1 (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2023-38032](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38032/): ASUS RT-AC86U - Command injection vulnerability - 2 (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2023-38033](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38033/): ASUS RT-AC86U - Command injection vulnerability - 3 (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2023-39236](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-39236/): ASUS RT-AC86U - Command injection vulnerability - 4 (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-25596 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-25596 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in ASUS RT-AC86U, published on 7 Apr 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-25596 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: ASUS RT-AC86U. 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-2022-25596/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-25596/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-25596
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-25596
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-25596

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-25596/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.