CVE-2025-11096 is a command injection vulnerability identified in the D-Link DIR-823X router, specifically affecting firmware version 250416. The vulnerability arises from improper handling of the 'target_addr' argument within the /goform/diag_traceroute endpoint. This endpoint is likely used to perform traceroute diagnostics on the device. Due to insufficient input validation or sanitization, an attacker can manipulate the 'target_addr' parameter to inject arbitrary commands that the device executes with elevated privileges. The attack vector is remote and does not require user interaction or authentication, making it particularly dangerous. The vulnerability has a CVSS 4.0 base score of 5.3, indicating a medium severity level. The vector string (AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P) shows that the attack can be performed over the network with low attack complexity, no user interaction, and no privileges required, but with limited confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact. Although no known exploits are currently observed in the wild, the exploit code has been published, increasing the risk of exploitation. The vulnerability could allow attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the router, potentially leading to unauthorized control, network traffic interception, or pivoting to internal networks. This flaw is critical for network security as routers serve as the first line of defense and a gateway to internal systems.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, especially for small and medium enterprises or home offices that rely on D-Link DIR-823X routers. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to the internal network, interception or manipulation of network traffic, and potential lateral movement to other devices. This could compromise sensitive data confidentiality and integrity, disrupt availability of network services, and facilitate further attacks such as malware deployment or espionage. Given the remote and unauthenticated nature of the exploit, attackers can target vulnerable routers en masse, potentially affecting large numbers of users. Critical infrastructure operators, government agencies, and businesses with remote or distributed networks using this router model are particularly at risk. The medium CVSS score reflects limited impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability individually, but the overall network security posture could be severely weakened if exploited. Additionally, the lack of a patch or mitigation from the vendor at the time of disclosure increases exposure.

Organizations should immediately identify any D-Link DIR-823X routers running firmware version 250416 within their networks. Since no official patch is currently available, the following specific actions are recommended: 1) Disable remote management interfaces and restrict access to the router's diagnostic endpoints, especially /goform/diag_traceroute, via firewall rules or access control lists to trusted IP addresses only. 2) If possible, upgrade to a newer firmware version once D-Link releases a patch addressing this vulnerability. 3) Monitor network traffic for unusual traceroute requests or suspicious command execution patterns originating from or targeting the router. 4) Consider replacing vulnerable devices with alternative models from vendors with timely security updates if patching is not feasible. 5) Implement network segmentation to isolate critical assets from devices that cannot be immediately secured. 6) Educate IT staff about this vulnerability and ensure incident response plans include steps for router compromise scenarios. 7) Regularly audit router configurations and logs to detect potential exploitation attempts early.