ASUS has reported fixes for two serious router vulnerabilities: one can let a crafted VPN client configuration file trigger commands when imported through the router’s web interface; the other can let an authenticated attacker bypass checks, enable Telnet, and run commands with root privileges. They are separate flaws with different attack paths. Check your exact router model’s ASUS support page and install any available firmware update.
What the two ASUS router vulnerabilities do
The issues affect router firmware, not ordinary VPN apps on a phone or computer. The first requires importing a malicious VPN client configuration file through the router’s web management interface. The second involves active debug code and an authenticated attacker sending a crafted request. Neither description means that using a VPN service by itself triggers the flaw.
CVE-2026-14157: command injection through an imported VPN configuration
Some ASUS routers can act as VPN clients by importing a configuration file from a VPN provider. A specially crafted file may cause the router to interpret content as commands, allowing arbitrary command execution. The described attack path requires the file to be imported through the router’s web management interface. ASUS’s reported precaution is to import VPN client configuration files only from trusted sources.
CVE-2026-13313: debug code that can enable Telnet
This is a separate issue. The National Vulnerability Database describes an authenticated remote user sending a crafted HTTP request to bypass security mechanisms and enable Telnet. Once Telnet is enabled, the attacker may run arbitrary commands with root privileges, potentially affecting the router and devices connected to it. This is not the VPN-file attack path.
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Reported severity and firmware series
Tom’s Hardware reports ASUS-assigned CVSS 4.0 scores of 9.4/10 for CVE-2026-14157 and 8.9/10 for CVE-2026-13313. These are severity scores, not independent estimates of how likely exploitation is. The firmware series below are those named in that report; they are not a complete model-by-model inventory.
| Vulnerability | Reported CVSS 4.0 score | Firmware series reported as affected |
|---|---|---|
| CVE-2026-14157: VPN configuration command injection | 9.4/10, attributed to ASUS by Tom’s Hardware | 3.0.0.6_102 |
| CVE-2026-13313: debug code can enable Telnet and root commands | 8.9/10, attributed to ASUS by Tom’s Hardware | 3.0.0.6_102, 3.0.0.4_386, and 3.0.0.4_388 |
Because the reported series do not identify every affected model or the fixed firmware build for each one, do not infer that a particular router is safe or vulnerable from the series alone. ASUS’s security advisory page recommends keeping products updated, but the detailed update entries were not visible in the captured advisory. Use the product support page for the exact model to verify current downloads and update availability.
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How to check for and install an ASUS router update
- Find the exact model name and hardware revision on the router’s label or in its management interface.
- Open ASUS’s support page and search for that model. Select its support or driver-and-utility downloads and locate the router firmware listing.
- Compare the installed firmware version with the latest version listed for that exact model. Follow ASUS’s instructions for downloading and applying the update; do not install firmware for a different model.
- After the router restarts, return to its firmware information page and confirm the installed version. Check the model’s support page again later if no update is currently listed, since availability can change.
The ASUS advisory and Tom’s Hardware report do not provide a single fixed version applicable to every router. The model-specific support listing is therefore the place to confirm whether an update is available for your device.
Precautions while your router is awaiting an update
- Do not import VPN client configuration files unless they come from a source you trust.
- Use a unique administrator password. ASUS’s recommendation, as quoted by Tom’s Hardware, is at least 10 characters with uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
- Do not run scripts, tools, or commands from untrusted sources on devices on your local network.
These are precautionary measures, not patches; the sources do not say that changing passwords fixes either vulnerability. Firmware updates remain the direct remediation when ASUS provides one for the model.
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Should you replace an affected ASUS router?
First determine whether the exact model still receives firmware support and whether ASUS lists an update for it. The report says end-of-life routers will not receive new firmware. If a router is end of life and has no update available, replacing it with a currently supported model is a practical way to regain access to security updates; the reporting does not establish which replacement model to choose.
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Sources
- ASUS Security Advisory | Latest Vulnerability Update
- Tom’s Hardware report, published October 3, 2026
- National Vulnerability Database: CVE-2026-13313
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