Why Your Business Should Think Twice Before Deploying TP‑Link Routers
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In today’s threat‑landscape, the choice of networking hardware matters more than ever. At Stratus Cloud Security we see the difference between equipment that offers strong security and devices that may expose your business to avoidable risk. While TP‑Link devices are popular thanks to low cost and broad availability, there are several serious concerns you should be aware of before deploying them in a business‑critical environment.
1. Known High‑Severity Vulnerabilities
TP‑Link has publicly acknowledged a number of serious security issues affecting its routers and WiFi gateways. For example:
• A critical OS command‑injection vulnerability tracked as CVE‑2024‑21833 (CVSS 8.8) affected TP‑Link Archer & Deco series, allowing unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary commands. CYFIRMA
• The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added two TP‑Link flaws (CVE‑2023‑50224 and CVE‑2025‑9377) to its “Known Exploited Vulnerabilities” catalogue, citing active exploitation in the wild. The Hacker News
• A botnet called “Ballista” exploited a remote‑code execution flaw (CVE‑2023‑1389) in TP‑Link Archer routers, targeting organizations across manufacturing, healthcare, technology and services. Cybersecurity Dive
What this means: even devices from reputable‑seeming brands may harbor firmware, design or support weaknesses that attackers can and do exploit. If your router is compromised, your network can become a launching pad for attacks, data theft, disruption, or persistent intrusion.
2. End‑of‑Service / Poor Firmware Support Risk
One of the biggest risks in router deployment is not just initial security, but ongoing maintenance. Many TP‑Link models have reached End‑of‑Service (EoS), meaning they no longer receive security updates.
For example: the CISA advisory noted that some affected TP‑Link devices were already EoL and “no longer receiving active support, including security updates”. The Hacker News
Without firmware updates, known vulnerabilities become permanent weaknesses.
3. Broad use in homes = Attractive target for attackers
Because TP‑Link devices are widely used in home and small‑office environments, attackers know the brand and look for common patterns. A compromised router may be used:
• to launch botnet or distributed denial‑of‑service (DDoS) attacks,
• as a foothold into internal networks or for lateral movement,
• to exfiltrate sensitive business or user data. For example, the Ballista botnet targeted TP‑Link devices to drive password spraying campaigns against Microsoft 365 accounts. Cybersecurity Dive
In short: common = known = targeted.
4. Supply‑chain & national‑security concerns
Beyond purely technical issues, TP‑Link has come under scrutiny for potential national‑security and supply‑chain risks. For example, one article says:
“In April 2024 … one of two TP‑Link vulnerabilities attracted the most vulnerability‑scanning by threat actors.” Dark Reading
While cost‑effective hardware is tempting, when you’re dealing with business‑critical network infrastructure, the cost of compromise far outweighs initial savings.
5. What Should You Do Instead?
a) Assess your risk profile.
If you are running a business network (not just home WiFi) with sensitive data, regulatory requirements, or high‑availability needs, you’ll want hardware and firmware support that align with those demands.
b) Choose hardware with strong security credentials.
At Stratus Cloud Security we specialise in enterprise‑grade networking and security solutions. Brands and devices that come with rigorous firmware update policies, vulnerability disclosures, enterprise‑support and long‑term lifecycle planning are preferable.
c) Apply security hygiene regardless of device.
Even the most secure router needs:
• firmware updates applied promptly,
• strong unique admin passwords (not factory defaults),
• remote‑admin ports disabled unless strictly required,
• segmentation of guest and IoT networks away from core business systems,
• logging and monitoring for abnormal activity.
d) Plan for lifecycle / replacement.
Treat network gear as infrastructure assets — plan for upgrade/replacement when support ends. Neglecting hardware can leave your network exposed even if nothing dramatic happens immediately.
6. Why Stratus Cloud Security Can Help
At Stratus Cloud Security we don’t merely sell hardware — we help you design, deploy and support secure, resilient networks aligned with your business needs. Whether it’s choosing the right router, ensuring firmware‑update procedures are in place, or building full security stack integration (firewalls, segmentation, monitoring) we’re well‑positioned to assist.
If you’re currently using TP‑Link routers in your business environment, it’s a good moment to review: Are they still supported? Could they be a weak link?
Let us help you evaluate your network hardware, map out risk, and if needed design a migration path toward more robust solutions.
Summary & Risk Check
In summary:
While TP‑Link routers are everywhere and widely used, their broad deployment, known vulnerabilities (including active exploitation), and variable firmware support make them a risky choice in business‑critical networks. If your organization cannot tolerate unnoticed compromise, data loss or network disruption, it’s time to consider more secure networking infrastructure.