Millions of routers have a 16-year-old flaw that nobody plans to fix

Security researcher Quentin Kaiser has published a report regarding a 16-year-old bug that allows attackers to take control of various router models. The vulnerability lies deep within Broadcom software, potentially affecting millions of devices worldwide from well-known manufacturers like Asus, TP-Link, Netgear, Cisco, and Linksys—both consumer and business models.

The security vulnerability, known as WPSplinter, allows remote injection of malicious code and can lead to a takeover. It lies within Broadcom’s Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) and makes routers vulnerable to memory errors when fed with manipulated WPS codes. Permissions can then be easily bypassed without the user even realizing it has happened.

Even though the vulnerability has been around for 16 years with proof that it was being actively exploited in the wild, there’s still no fix. Broadcom did release an update in 2018—eight years after the vulnerability was first reported!—that partially patched the flaw, but they then shifted the responsibility onto manufacturers, who were expected to adapt their own software to resolve the issue. Unsurprisingly, this did not happen.

In July 2026, Kaiser reported the vulnerability to Broadcom once again. However, the company referred back to the patch it had already provided, even though it clearly didn’t fully resolve the problem. Device manufacturers were also unable to provide a solution when asked. It seems like neither Broadcom nor the manufacturers will take action.

According to Kaiser, it’s not enough to simply disable WPS on affected models—the vulnerability can still be exploited, with attackers able to gain access, which makes the situation even more difficult.

There isn’t a full list of affected models, which makes it even tougher for affected users who want to implement a workaround. If you’re affected, all you can really do is try contacting support and requesting information, specifying your router model and year of manufacture.

Further reading: Essential tweaks to secure your home network router