This vulnerability (CWE-78) affects TP-Link TL-WR802N v4, TL-WR841N v14, and TL-WR840N v6 routers. It is caused by improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands within the configuration import functionality. An authenticated attacker can exploit this by uploading a malicious configuration file, which results in execution of arbitrary OS commands with root privileges during port-trigger processing. The vulnerability allows full compromise of the affected device. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 8.5, indicating high severity. No patch or vendor advisory information is provided, and no known exploits in the wild have been reported.

Successful exploitation permits an authenticated attacker to execute arbitrary system commands with root privileges on the affected TP-Link routers. This leads to full device compromise, potentially allowing control over the device, disruption of network operations, or further attacks on connected networks.

Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. In the absence of an official fix, restrict access to the router's configuration interface to trusted users only and avoid importing configuration files from untrusted sources. Monitor vendor channels for updates or patches addressing this vulnerability.