CVE-2025-5875: TP-Link TL-IPC544EP-W4 Buffer Overflow Flaw

CVE-2025-5875 Overview

CVE-2025-5875 is a buffer overflow vulnerability in the TP-Link TL-IPC544EP-W4 network camera running firmware version 1.0.9 Build 240428 Rel 69493n. The flaw resides in the sub_69064 function inside the /bin/main binary. An attacker can trigger the overflow by manipulating the text argument, leading to memory corruption over the network. The exploit has been publicly disclosed. According to the disclosure record, the vendor was contacted before publication but did not respond.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers with low privileges can corrupt memory in the camera firmware, potentially achieving code execution on the device with no user interaction.

Affected Products

• TP-Link TL-IPC544EP-W4 hardware device
• TP-Link TL-IPC544EP-W4 firmware version 1.0.9 Build 240428 Rel 69493n
• Deployments exposing the camera management interface to untrusted networks

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-06-09 - CVE-2025-5875 published to the National Vulnerability Database
• 2025-06-23 - Last updated in the NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-5875

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is a classic buffer overflow [CWE-119, CWE-120] in the sub_69064 function of /bin/main, the primary service binary on the camera firmware. The function consumes a caller-supplied text argument without enforcing destination buffer bounds. When the input length exceeds the fixed-size destination, adjacent memory is overwritten.

Because the binary runs as part of the camera's network-facing service, attackers can reach the vulnerable code path remotely. The disclosure record indicates the attacker requires low privileges but no user interaction. Successful exploitation impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the device. The EPSS model currently estimates exploitation probability at 1.103% (78th percentile).

Root Cause

The root cause is missing length validation on the text parameter before it is copied into a stack or heap buffer inside sub_69064. Embedded firmware functions of this type often rely on unsafe string routines such as strcpy, sprintf, or memcpy without bounds checks. Combined with the absence of modern exploit mitigations on many embedded MIPS/ARM targets, the condition is directly exploitable.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based. An authenticated attacker with low-privilege access to the device sends a crafted request containing an oversized text argument to the service that dispatches to sub_69064. The oversized input overwrites adjacent memory, leading to control-flow corruption. No verified proof-of-concept code is published with the NVD record. Technical details referenced in the disclosure are available in the TL-IPC544EP-W4 research notes and the VulDB entry #311634.

// No verified exploit code is available. The vulnerability is
// triggered by sending an oversized `text` argument to the network
// service that invokes sub_69064 in /bin/main, overflowing a
// fixed-size buffer.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-5875

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected crashes, restarts, or watchdog resets of the camera's main process
• Outbound connections from the camera to unfamiliar IP addresses or non-standard ports
• New or modified processes running on the device outside its baseline firmware image
• Authenticated sessions to the camera management interface from unexpected source addresses

Detection Strategies

• Inspect HTTP and proprietary management traffic to the camera for abnormally long text parameter values
• Compare device firmware build strings against the vulnerable 1.0.9 Build 240428 Rel 69493n release in asset inventory
• Alert on repeated authentication attempts to the camera's web or RPC interfaces followed by service restarts
• Use network segmentation telemetry to flag IPC cameras initiating outbound sessions, which is atypical for these devices

Monitoring Recommendations

• Capture and retain network flows between camera VLANs and management hosts for retrospective analysis
• Forward syslog and SNMP traps from cameras into a centralized SIEM for crash and reboot correlation
• Monitor for new firmware image hashes appearing on devices outside of approved maintenance windows

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-5875

Immediate Actions Required

• Identify all TL-IPC544EP-W4 devices running firmware 1.0.9 Build 240428 Rel 69493n and treat them as exposed
• Remove the cameras from any network segment reachable from the internet or untrusted user VLANs
• Restrict management access to the device to a dedicated administrative subnet with strict ACLs
• Rotate credentials used to authenticate to the camera, since exploitation requires low-privilege access

Patch Information

No vendor patch is referenced in the NVD record at the time of publication. The disclosure notes that TP-Link did not respond to the reporter. Operators should monitor the TP-Link official site for firmware updates addressing sub_69064 in /bin/main and apply them as soon as they are released.

Workarounds

• Place affected cameras behind a firewall that blocks inbound access to management ports from untrusted sources
• Disable remote management features and cloud connectivity where operationally acceptable
• Require VPN access for any administrative interaction with the camera
• Consider replacing the device if a fixed firmware version is not released within an acceptable remediation window

# Example: restrict access to the camera management interface
# to a dedicated admin subnet using iptables on an upstream gateway
iptables -A FORWARD -s 10.10.50.0/24 -d 192.0.2.25 -p tcp --dport 80 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A FORWARD -s 10.10.50.0/24 -d 192.0.2.25 -p tcp --dport 443 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A FORWARD -d 192.0.2.25 -j DROP