CVE-2026-2081VulnerabilityPublished 7 Feb 2026Updated 23 Feb 2026

CVE-2026-2081: D-Link DIR-823X · OS Command Injection

Affects D-Link DIR-823XSource CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 5.1 Medium.

Data as of 25 Oct 2026, 19:02 UTC

CVSS 4.0 base score

5.1Medium

How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.

EPSS: 6.3% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 93% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.

CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P

Base metrics

Attack Vector: Network
Attack Complexity: Low
Attack Requirements: None
Privileges Required: High
User Interaction: None
Vulnerable system confidentiality: Low
Vulnerable system integrity: Low
Vulnerable system availability: Low
Subsequent system confidentiality: None
Subsequent system integrity: None
Subsequent system availability: None

Threat metrics

Exploit Maturity: POC

Bold values are the worst case: easiest to exploit or largest impact.

Attack Vector: Network: The vulnerable system is bound to the network stack and the set of possible attackers extends beyond the other options listed below, up to and including the entire Internet. Such a vulnerability is often termed “remotely exploitable” and can be thought of as an attack being exploitable at the protocol level one or more network hops away (e.g., across one or more routers).
Attack Complexity: Low: The attacker must take no measurable action to exploit the vulnerability. The attack requires no target-specific circumvention to exploit the vulnerability. An attacker can expect repeatable success against the vulnerable system.
Attack Requirements: None: The successful attack does not depend on the deployment and execution conditions of the vulnerable system. The attacker can expect to be able to reach the vulnerability and execute the exploit under all or most instances of the vulnerability.
Privileges Required: High: The attacker requires privileges that provide significant (e.g., administrative) control over the vulnerable system allowing full access to the vulnerable system’s settings and files.
User Interaction: None: The vulnerable system can be exploited without interaction from any human user, other than the attacker.
Vulnerable system confidentiality: Low: There is some loss of confidentiality. Access to some restricted information is obtained, but the attacker does not have control over what information is obtained, or the amount or kind of loss is limited. The information disclosure does not cause a direct, serious loss to the Vulnerable System.
Vulnerable system integrity: Low: Modification of data is possible, but the attacker does not have control over the consequence of a modification, or the amount of modification is limited. The data modification does not have a direct, serious impact to the Vulnerable System.
Vulnerable system availability: Low: Performance is reduced or there are interruptions in resource availability. Even if repeated exploitation of the vulnerability is possible, the attacker does not have the ability to completely deny service to legitimate users. The resources in the Vulnerable System are either partially available all of the time, or fully available only some of the time, but overall there is no direct, serious consequence to the Vulnerable System.
Subsequent system confidentiality: None: There is no loss of confidentiality within the Subsequent System or all confidentiality impact is constrained to the Vulnerable System.
Subsequent system integrity: None: There is no loss of integrity within the Subsequent System or all integrity impact is constrained to the Vulnerable System.
Subsequent system availability: None: There is no impact to availability within the Subsequent System or all availability impact is constrained to the Vulnerable System.
Exploit Maturity: POC: Based on threat intelligence sources each of the following must apply: · Proof-of-concept is publicly available · No knowledge of reported attempts to exploit this vulnerability · No knowledge of publicly available solutions used to simplify attempts to exploit the vulnerability

Definitions: FIRST CVSS v4.0 specification.

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 7 Feb 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 2026-10-25.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponised: Public exploit code exists in Metasploit or Exploit-DB, or CISA SSVC reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
D-LinkDIR-823X	Affected =250416	Fixed in–

AI-suggested

1. Immediately restrict access to the router’s administrative interface to trusted networks and IP addresses only, using firewall rules or network segmentation. 2. Disable remote management features if not strictly necessary to reduce exposure. 3. Monitor network traffic and router logs for unusual activity or unauthorized access attempts targeting the /goform/set_password endpoint. 4. Implement strong authentication and credential management to prevent attackers from obtaining the high privileges required for exploitation. 5. Regularly check for official firmware updates or patches from D-Link addressing this vulnerability and apply them promptly once available. 6. If patching is delayed, consider deploying network-based intrusion prevention systems (IPS) with custom rules to detect and block command injection patterns targeting this endpoint. 7. Conduct internal audits of router configurations and access controls to ensure minimal exposure. 8. Educate network administrators about this vulnerability and the importance of secure router management practices.

Description

A vulnerability was determined in D-Link DIR-823X 250416. The affected element is an unknown function of the file /goform/set_password. This manipulation of the argument http_passwd causes os command injection. The attack is possible to be carried out remotely. The exploit has been publicly disclosed and may be utilized.

Impact

If exploited, this vulnerability could allow attackers to execute arbitrary OS commands on the affected router, leading to full compromise of the device. This could result in unauthorized access to network traffic, manipulation or disruption of network services, and potential pivoting to internal networks. The confidentiality of sensitive data passing through the router could be breached, integrity of network configurations could be altered, and availability could be disrupted by malicious commands. Organizations relying on the DIR-823X for critical network infrastructure may face operational disruptions, data breaches, and increased risk of lateral movement by attackers. The requirement for high privileges limits exploitation to attackers who have already gained some level of access, but the remote nature of the vulnerability still poses a significant risk. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate threat but does not eliminate future risk, especially after public disclosure.

Summary

CVE-2026-2081 identifies an OS command injection vulnerability in the D-Link DIR-823X router firmware version 250416. The vulnerability exists in an unspecified function within the /goform/set_password endpoint, where the http_passwd parameter is improperly sanitized or validated. This flaw allows an attacker to inject arbitrary operating system commands remotely, potentially leading to full system compromise. The vulnerability is exploitable over the network without user interaction, but requires high privileges, indicating that an attacker must already have some elevated access or credentials to exploit it. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 5.1 (medium severity), reflecting the moderate impact and exploitation complexity. The vulnerability affects confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the device, as arbitrary commands can be executed on the underlying OS. Although no known exploits have been observed in the wild, the public disclosure increases the risk of exploitation. The lack of official patches or mitigation guidance at this time necessitates proactive defensive measures. This vulnerability highlights the importance of secure input validation in router management interfaces and the risks posed by exposed administrative endpoints.

References

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 23 Feb 2026, 21:24 UTC

Technical details

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