CVE-2022-42060 is a high-severity vulnerability identified in the Tenda AC1200 Router Model W15Ev2 running firmware version V15.11.0.10(1576). The vulnerability arises from a stack-based buffer overflow in the setWanPpoe function. This function is responsible for configuring the WAN PPPoE (Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet) settings on the router. An attacker can exploit this flaw by sending specially crafted data to the vulnerable function, causing a stack overflow that leads to a Denial of Service (DoS) condition. The overflow does not impact confidentiality or integrity directly but results in service disruption by crashing or destabilizing the router. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.5, reflecting a high severity due to the network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), and no user interaction needed (UI:N). The scope is unchanged (S:U), and the impact is solely on availability (A:H), with no confidentiality or integrity impact. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 (Stack-based Buffer Overflow). No public exploits are currently known in the wild, and no official patches or vendor advisories have been linked yet. However, the presence of this vulnerability in a widely deployed consumer router model poses a risk of widespread DoS attacks if exploited at scale.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability primarily concerns network availability and operational continuity. The Tenda AC1200 router is commonly used in small office and home office (SOHO) environments, as well as by some small businesses. A successful exploitation could disrupt internet connectivity by causing router crashes, leading to downtime and loss of productivity. While the vulnerability does not allow data theft or manipulation, the denial of service can affect remote work capabilities, VoIP communications, and access to cloud services. In sectors relying on stable internet connections, such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure, even short outages can have cascading effects. Additionally, attackers could leverage this vulnerability as part of a larger attack chain or to create network disruptions during geopolitical tensions. The lack of required authentication and user interaction increases the risk of automated exploitation attempts, especially if attackers scan for vulnerable devices exposed to the internet.

To mitigate this vulnerability effectively, European organizations should: 1) Identify and inventory all Tenda AC1200 W15Ev2 routers in their networks, focusing on firmware version V15.11.0.10(1576). 2) Monitor vendor channels and security advisories for official firmware updates or patches addressing CVE-2022-42060 and apply them promptly upon release. 3) If patches are unavailable, consider temporary mitigations such as disabling or restricting WAN PPPoE configuration interfaces, especially from untrusted networks or the internet. 4) Implement network segmentation to isolate vulnerable routers from critical systems and reduce attack surface exposure. 5) Employ intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) with signatures or anomaly detection for unusual PPPoE configuration traffic. 6) Restrict remote management access to routers using VPNs or secure management protocols and strong authentication. 7) Regularly back up router configurations and maintain incident response plans to quickly recover from DoS incidents. 8) Educate IT staff about this vulnerability and encourage proactive monitoring of router logs for signs of exploitation attempts.