CVE-2022-41481 is a high-severity vulnerability identified in the firmware of the Tenda AC1200 US_AC6V2.0RTL_V15.03.06.51_multi_TDE01 router model. The vulnerability is a buffer overflow located in the function at memory address 0x47de1c. Buffer overflow vulnerabilities occur when a program writes more data to a buffer than it can hold, potentially overwriting adjacent memory and causing unexpected behavior. In this case, the flaw allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to send a specially crafted request to the affected device, triggering the buffer overflow and causing a Denial of Service (DoS) condition. This DoS impact means the router can crash or become unresponsive, disrupting network connectivity for all devices relying on it. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5, indicating high severity, with the vector string AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. This means the attack can be performed remotely over the network without any privileges or user interaction, and it impacts availability only, not confidentiality or integrity. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches or vendor advisories are listed, suggesting that mitigation may require manual intervention or firmware updates once available. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-120, which corresponds to classic buffer overflow issues. Given the nature of consumer routers, this vulnerability could be exploited by attackers on the same network or remotely if the device’s management interface is exposed to the internet, potentially causing widespread network outages or service disruptions.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-41481 can be significant, especially for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) and home office setups that rely on Tenda AC1200 routers for internet connectivity. A successful exploitation would result in denial of service, interrupting business operations, communications, and access to cloud services. This could lead to productivity losses and potential financial impact. Additionally, network outages could affect critical remote work infrastructure, particularly in sectors relying on continuous connectivity such as finance, healthcare, and public administration. Although the vulnerability does not allow data theft or system compromise, the loss of availability can indirectly affect confidentiality and integrity if fallback or recovery mechanisms are weak. The lack of authentication and user interaction requirements increases the risk of automated attacks, potentially amplifying the threat in environments where these routers are deployed without adequate network segmentation or firewall protections.

To mitigate CVE-2022-41481, European organizations should first identify any Tenda AC1200 US_AC6V2.0RTL_V15.03.06.51_multi_TDE01 routers in their network inventory. Since no official patches are currently available, immediate steps include restricting access to the router’s management interfaces by disabling remote administration and ensuring that the device is not exposed directly to the internet. Network segmentation should be enforced to isolate vulnerable devices from critical infrastructure. Implementing intrusion detection systems (IDS) to monitor for unusual traffic patterns targeting the router’s interfaces can help detect exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider replacing affected routers with models from vendors that provide timely security updates and have a proven security track record. Regular firmware updates should be applied as soon as vendors release patches addressing this vulnerability. Additionally, educating IT staff about the risks of buffer overflow vulnerabilities and the importance of network hygiene will strengthen overall security posture.