Overview
A critical vulnerability, known as CVE-2025-8730, has been identified in certain models of Belkin Routers, specifically the F9K1009 and F9K1010 versions 2.00.04/2.00.09. This flaw lies within an unknown function of the Web Interface component and can be exploited remotely by attackers. The vulnerability is of significant concern as it can lead to potential system compromise or data leakage due to the existence of hard-coded credentials. This poses a serious security risk to both home and business networks that utilize the affected routers.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-8730
Severity: Critical (CVSS 9.8)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: Potential system compromise, data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
Belkin F9K1009 | 2.00.04, 2.00.09
Belkin F9K1010 | 2.00.04, 2.00.09
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability stems from hard-coded credentials within the affected Belkin routers. This allows attackers to easily bypass authentication processes by using these built-in credentials. Since the attack vector is network-based, the attack can be carried out remotely, increasing the likelihood and potential scale of exploitation.
The manipulation of the hard-coded credentials offers the attacker unauthorized access to the device’s web interface, from where they can potentially change configuration settings, intercept sensitive information, or even take complete control of the router, leading to a system compromise or data leakage.
Conceptual Example Code
Here is a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited:
GET /login.cgi HTTP/1.1
Host: vulnerable-router-ip
Authorization: Basic [hard-coded credentials in Base64]
HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: text/html
{"routerConfiguration": {...}, "sensitiveData": "..." }In this hypothetical example, the attacker sends a GET request to the login.cgi endpoint of the router’s web interface, using the hard-coded credentials for authentication. Once authenticated, the attacker gains access to the router’s configuration and sensitive data.
Mitigation Guidance
Given the severity of this vulnerability, it’s recommended to apply the vendor patch as soon as it becomes available. In the meantime, a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can be used as a temporary mitigation strategy to monitor and block potential exploit attempts.