# CVE-2023-50224: TP-Link TL-WR841N Authentication Bypass by Spoofing

> Network-adjacent attackers can exploit improper authentication in the httpd service to disclose stored credentials on TP-Link routers.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 3 Sep 2025 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 3 May 2024
- **Updated:** 2 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-g654-hw9f-49w6

## What is CVE-2023-50224?

CVE-2023-50224 is a medium-severity vulnerability in TP-Link Archer C5, published on 3 May 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

TP-Link TL-WR841N dropbearpwd Improper Authentication Information Disclosure Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows network-adjacent attackers to disclose sensitive information on affected installations of TP-Link TL-WR841N routers. Authentication is not required to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the httpd service, which listens on TCP port 80 by default. The issue results from improper authentication. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to disclose stored credentials, leading to further compromise. Was ZDI-CAN-19899.

Weakness: CWE-290 (Authentication Bypass by Spoofing)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-50224?

It affects 36 products.


Products: Tp-Link Archer C1900 Firmware, Tp-Link Archer C5 Firmware, Tp-Link Archer C7 Firmware, Tp-Link Mr3420 Firmware, Tp-Link Mr6400 Firmware, Tp-Link Tl-Mr3020 Firmware, Tp-Link Tl-Mr3220 Firmware, Tp-Link Tl-Wdr3600 Firmware, Tp-Link Tl-Wdr4300 Firmware, Tp-Link Tl-Wr710n Firmware, Tp-Link Tl-Wr740n Firmware, Tp-Link Tl-Wr741nd Firmware, Tp-Link Tl-Wr743nd Firmware, Tp-Link Tl-Wr810n Firmware, Tp-Link Tl-Wr840n Firmware, Tp-Link Tl-Wr841n Firmware, Tp-Link Tl-Wr841nd Firmware, Tp-Link Tl-Wr843n Firmware, Tp-Link Tl-Wr902ac Firmware, Tp-Link Tl-Wr940n Firmware and 16 more.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-50224?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-50224 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 24 Sep 2025.

## Is CVE-2023-50224 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2023-50224 in the wild since at least 3 Sep 2025.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-50224 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-50224 is a medium-severity vulnerability in TP-Link Archer C5, published on 3 May 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2023-50224 in the wild since at least 3 Sep 2025.

Affected product: TP-Link Archer C5. 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-2023-50224/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-50224/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-50224
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-50224
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-50224

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-50224/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.