How severe is CVE-2020-10916?

CVE-2020-10916 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.0, rated high severity. It is exploitable over an adjacent network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2020-10916 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (62nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-10916?

CVE-2020-10916 primarily affects Tp-link Tl-wa855re Firmware. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-10916?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2020-10916 published?

CVE-2020-10916 was published on 2020-05-07 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-10916

CVE-2020-10916 is a high-severity vulnerability in Tp-link Tl-wa855re Firmware with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.0. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-287.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.0)
CVSS v2: 5.2
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (62nd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-287
Affected product: Tp-link Tl-wa855re Firmware
Published: 2020-05-07
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

This vulnerability allows network-adjacent attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of TP-Link TL-WA855RE Firmware Ver: 855rev4-up-ver1-0-1-P1[20191213-rel60361] Wi-Fi extenders. Although authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability, the existing authentication mechanism can be bypassed. The specific flaw exists within the first-time setup process. The issue results from the lack of proper validation on first-time setup requests. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to reset the password for the Admin account and execute code in the context of the device. Was ZDI-CAN-10003.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-10916?: This vulnerability allows network-adjacent attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of TP-Link TL-WA855RE Firmware Ver: 855rev4-up-ver1-0-1-P1[20191213-rel60361] Wi-Fi extenders. Although authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability, the existing authentication mechanism can be bypassed. The specific flaw exists within the first-time setup process. The issue results from the lack of proper validation on first-time setup requests. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to reset the password for the Admin account and execute code in the context of the device. Was ZDI-CAN-10003.
How severe is CVE-2020-10916?: CVE-2020-10916 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.0, rated high severity. It is exploitable over an adjacent network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2020-10916 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (62nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-10916?: CVE-2020-10916 primarily affects Tp-link Tl-wa855re Firmware. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-10916?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2020-10916 published?: CVE-2020-10916 was published on 2020-05-07 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-20-553/

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:o:tp-link:tl-wa855re_firmware:190408:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:tp-link:tl-wa855re_firmware:191213:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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