CVE-2025-3442 in Tapo H200 V1 IoT Smart Hub
Summary
by MITRE • 04/09/2025
This vulnerability exists in TP-Link Tapo H200 V1 IoT Smart Hub due to storage of Wi-Fi credentials in plain text within the device firmware. An attacker with physical access could exploit this by extracting the firmware and analyzing the binary data to obtain the Wi-Fi credentials stored on the vulnerable device.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/09/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-3442 affects TP-Link Tapo H200 V1 IoT Smart Hub devices, representing a critical security flaw in the device's firmware implementation. This weakness stems from the improper handling of sensitive authentication data within the embedded system architecture, creating an exploitable condition that directly compromises network security. The device's firmware contains Wi-Fi credentials stored in plain text format, a fundamental security misconfiguration that violates industry best practices for credential management in embedded systems.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the device's firmware storing network authentication parameters in an unencrypted format within the binary image. This approach directly contravenes established security guidelines and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege in credential storage. The plain text storage mechanism allows for straightforward extraction of authentication credentials without requiring sophisticated cryptographic attacks or complex exploitation techniques. Attackers can leverage physical access to the device to extract the firmware image and subsequently analyze the binary data to recover the stored Wi-Fi credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it enables unauthorized network access and potential lateral movement within affected networks. An attacker with physical access to the device can easily extract the firmware through various methods including USB interfaces, JTAG connections, or other hardware debugging interfaces commonly available on IoT devices. The extracted firmware can then be analyzed using standard reverse engineering tools to locate and extract the plain text credentials, which can subsequently be used to gain unauthorized access to the associated Wi-Fi network. This vulnerability particularly affects IoT environments where physical security controls may be inadequate, as it eliminates the need for network-based attacks that would typically require more sophisticated exploitation techniques.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) and demonstrates poor security practices in embedded system development that violate fundamental security principles. The attack pattern corresponds to techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1566 (Phishing for Information) and T1046 (Network Service Scanning) where physical access enables credential harvesting. The weakness creates a persistent security risk that cannot be resolved through network-level defenses alone, as the credentials are inherently exposed within the device's firmware. Organizations deploying these devices face significant risk of unauthorized network access, potential data breaches, and compromised network integrity when this vulnerability remains unpatched. The remediation approach requires firmware updates that implement proper credential encryption mechanisms, but the inherent exposure during the device's operational lifetime creates a window of opportunity for exploitation that cannot be adequately mitigated through network security controls alone.