CVE-2025-3461 in Quantenna Wi-Fi Chipset
Summary
by MITRE • 06/09/2025
The Quantenna Wi-Fi chips ship with an unauthenticated telnet interface by default. This is an instance of CWE-306, "Missing Authentication for Critical Function," and is estimated as a CVSS 9.1 (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N). This issue affects Quantenna Wi-Fi chipset through version 8.0.0.28 of the latest SDK, and appears to be unpatched at the time of this CVE record's first publishing, though the vendor has released a best practices guide for implementors of this chipset.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/14/2026
The Quantenna Wi-Fi chipset vulnerability represents a critical security flaw that exposes devices to unauthorized remote access through an unauthenticated telnet service. This issue manifests as a default configuration that leaves the telnet interface accessible without any form of authentication, creating an entry point for malicious actors to gain administrative control over affected devices. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-306, which specifically addresses the absence of authentication for critical functions within software systems. This misconfiguration allows attackers to establish connections to the device's telnet service without requiring valid credentials, fundamentally compromising the device's security posture.
The technical implications of this vulnerability extend beyond simple unauthorized access, as the telnet service provides full administrative privileges to whoever can connect to it. This represents a severe compromise of the device's confidentiality, integrity, and availability assurances, with the CVSS score of 9.1 reflecting the high severity impact. The attack vector is network-based and requires no prior authentication, making exploitation straightforward and accessible to any attacker with network access to the device. The vulnerability affects all Quantenna Wi-Fi chipsets through version 8.0.0.28 of the SDK, indicating a widespread issue that spans multiple device models and implementations. The fact that this vulnerability remains unpatched at the time of CVE publication suggests that manufacturers may have been relying on implementation best practices rather than addressing the core configuration issue.
From an operational standpoint, devices utilizing Quantenna chipsets become immediately vulnerable to exploitation upon deployment, as the telnet service is enabled by default without any user intervention required. This creates a persistent security risk that can be exploited by attackers who discover vulnerable devices on networks, potentially leading to complete device compromise and subsequent use in larger attack campaigns. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1021.004, which covers remote services exploitation through telnet, demonstrating how this flaw enables adversaries to establish persistent access to network infrastructure. Organizations deploying these chipsets face significant operational risks, as the default configuration creates a backdoor that can be leveraged for reconnaissance, lateral movement, and potential data exfiltration.
Security practitioners should implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability, including disabling the telnet service entirely on affected devices or implementing strict network access controls to restrict access to the telnet service. The recommended approach involves disabling the telnet daemon and ensuring that only authorized administrators can access the device through secure channels such as SSH. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to prevent unauthorized access to the telnet port, while regular security audits should verify that the service remains disabled. The vendor's release of a best practices guide indicates that proper configuration management and secure implementation guidelines are available, though the lack of an official patch suggests that organizations must rely on configuration hardening measures rather than software updates. This vulnerability underscores the importance of secure default configurations and demonstrates how seemingly minor oversights in device design can create significant security risks across deployed networks.