CVE-2025-57218 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in the firmware version 16.03.10.09_multi_TDE01 of the Tenda AC10 v4.0 wireless router. The vulnerability is a stack-based buffer overflow triggered via the 'security_5g' parameter within the function sub_46284C. A stack overflow occurs when more data is written to a buffer located on the stack than it can hold, potentially overwriting adjacent memory and leading to undefined behavior. In this case, the overflow is caused by improper handling or insufficient validation of input data passed through the 'security_5g' parameter, which is likely related to the configuration of the 5 GHz wireless security settings. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.3, indicating a medium severity level. The vector string (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L) reveals that the vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network without any privileges or user interaction required. However, the impact is limited to availability, meaning the attacker can cause a denial of service (DoS) by crashing the device or causing it to reboot unexpectedly. There is no direct impact on confidentiality or integrity. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 (Stack-based Buffer Overflow), a common and well-understood software weakness. As of the published date, no patches or firmware updates have been linked, and there are no known exploits in the wild. The vulnerability was reserved and published in August 2025, indicating it is a recent discovery. The affected version is specifically the Tenda AC10 v4.0 firmware 16.03.10.09_multi_TDE01, with no other versions explicitly mentioned. The lack of authentication or user interaction requirements means that an attacker can exploit this remotely by sending crafted network packets targeting the vulnerable parameter, potentially causing service disruption to the router and connected network devices.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-57218 is the potential for denial of service on networks using the vulnerable Tenda AC10 v4.0 routers. This can lead to temporary loss of internet connectivity, disruption of business operations, and potential downtime for critical services relying on network availability. Although the vulnerability does not allow data theft or manipulation, the loss of availability can affect productivity, especially in small to medium enterprises or home office environments where such consumer-grade routers are commonly deployed. In sectors with high dependency on continuous network access, such as financial services, healthcare, or manufacturing, even short outages can have cascading effects. Additionally, repeated exploitation attempts could increase operational costs due to troubleshooting and recovery efforts. Since the vulnerability is remotely exploitable without authentication, attackers could scan for exposed devices and launch automated attacks, increasing the risk of widespread disruption. The absence of known exploits currently reduces immediate risk, but the public disclosure may prompt threat actors to develop exploit code. European organizations using Tenda AC10 routers should be aware of this threat and prepare to mitigate potential service interruptions.

1. Immediate mitigation involves network segmentation to isolate vulnerable Tenda AC10 routers from critical infrastructure and sensitive data systems, reducing the blast radius of a potential DoS attack. 2. Monitor network traffic for unusual packets targeting the 'security_5g' parameter or abnormal router behavior such as frequent reboots or crashes. 3. Disable remote management interfaces on the router to limit exposure to external attackers. 4. If possible, replace Tenda AC10 v4.0 routers with alternative devices from vendors with active security support and timely patch releases. 5. Regularly check the Tenda official website or trusted security advisories for firmware updates addressing this vulnerability and apply patches promptly once available. 6. Employ intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) with signatures or heuristics capable of detecting exploitation attempts targeting buffer overflow vulnerabilities. 7. Educate network administrators about this specific vulnerability and encourage proactive vulnerability scanning and asset inventory to identify affected devices. 8. Consider implementing network-level rate limiting or firewall rules to block malformed packets targeting the vulnerable parameter. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on device-specific controls, proactive monitoring, and network architecture adjustments to reduce exploitation likelihood and impact.