TP-Link Archer C7 (V2)

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TP-Link Archer C7 (V2)
Security Grade
   
     D
Calculator v1
TP-Link Archer C7 (V2)
   Brand: TP-Link 

   Category: Router • Model / Gen: AC1750 Wi-Fi 5 Archer C7 hardware V2; regional variant must match firmware

   Release Date: 2013-12-17 • Status: End of life

   Classification Date: 2026-10-25 • Official Website

Security Evaluation

1. Device Security

Criterion Value Proof Comment
Known hardware tampering Rare [1] 🔗 Proof ASSESSOR INFERENCE: Rare denotes local-access requirements. Reset, power, USB and Ethernet allow a physically present person to alter or interrupt service. This is a design-based assessment, not measured tampering prevalence.
Known vulnerabilities Very common [2] [3] 🔗 Proof ASSESSOR INFERENCE: Very common denotes recurring historical fixes across classes: the reviewed credential-disclosure issue and V2 release notes addressing KRACK, traversal/XSS and memory-related issues. It is not a measured exploitation rate; affected and fixed regional firmware are distinguished.
Prior attacks Rare 🔗 Proof ASSESSOR INFERENCE: Rare is a cautious legacy-platform estimate from the vendor advisory citing exploitation reports. The source does not enumerate C7 V2 victims or establish a model-wide botnet population.
Updatability Rare 🔗 Proof EOL product with exceptional manually installed patches; no cloud or automatic updates in this advisory scope.
Category Score Score: 3 / 3

2. System Security

Criterion Value Proof Comment
Authentication with other systems Partial 🔗 Proof Partial describes authenticated administration alongside DHCP/DNS, discovery and optional guest/USB-sharing access. Communication with other systems is not universally mutually authenticated.
Communications No encryption 🔗 Proof Reviewed V2 management-channel scope: the manual specifies HTTP web administration and permits legacy Wi-Fi security as well as WPA2-AES. No encryption denotes the plaintext management path, not all radio traffic; current patched regional settings are unobserved.
Storage No encryption [4] 🔗 Proof A 2017 thesis documents an Archer C7 V2 sample and U-Boot layout. It does not establish at-rest encryption of current regional stock firmware. The storage score is provisional.
Category Score Score: 3 / 3

3. User Authentication

Criterion Value Proof Comment
Account management Basic 🔗 Proof Administrator credentials can be changed; full local role management was not demonstrated.
Authentication Basic 🔗 Proof Local username/password login is documented; stronger local factors were not established.
Brute-force protection Basic [5] [6] 🔗 Proof TP-Link describes temporary blocking after repeated login errors in general guidance. Applicability to Archer C7 V2 EU 241108 or US 260427 has not been verified.
Event logging Partial logging 🔗 Proof System Log exists; comprehensive access-event auditing is not established.
Passwords Require change after setup [7] [8] 🔗 Proof In a V2 thread identifying firmware 180305, TP-Link support says initial setup requires creating a password and rejects admin as that password. The selected later regional builds remain unverified.
Category Score Score: 2 / 3

Technical Specifications

Property Details
Operating System & App TP-Link stock firmware; EU V2 241108 or US V2 260427 are regional fix references. (Companion App: )
Hardware (CPU / GPU) CPU: • GPU:
Memory & Storage Memory: • Storage:
Power, Battery & Charging Battery: • Power: DC 12 V, 2.5 A (official V2 RU datasheet; check regional adapter label) • Charging:
Display & Camera Display: • Camera:
Sound & Connectivity Sound: • Connectivity: 2.4/5 GHz Wi-Fi AC1750; 1 Gigabit WAN + 4 Gigabit LAN; 2 USB 2.0
Physical (Dimensions & Mass) Dimensions: 243 × 160.6 × 32.5 mm (W×D×H; official V2 RU datasheet) • Mass:


Evidence review addendum — 2026-10-24. Public-document review; ratings with evidence gaps remain provisional.

This addendum supersedes earlier inconsistent wording on the same fields. It is based on public documents and the saved website snapshot; no installed device was tested. Historical research below remains historical evidence. Unverified flash protection and interface-specific controls are not verified device facts.

Documented basic information

  • 尺寸: 243 × 160.6 × 32.5 mm (W×D×H; official V2 RU datasheet) Source
  • 电源: DC 12 V, 2.5 A (official V2 RU datasheet; check regional adapter label) Source Source
  • 连接方式: 2.4/5 GHz Wi-Fi AC1750; 1 Gigabit WAN + 4 Gigabit LAN; 2 USB 2.0 Source Source

Revised security evidence notes

  • 闪存存储加密: A 2017 thesis documents an Archer C7 V2 sample and U-Boot layout. It does not establish at-rest encryption of current regional stock firmware. The storage score is provisional. Source Source
  • 防暴力破解: TP-Link describes temporary blocking after repeated login errors in general guidance. Applicability to Archer C7 V2 EU 241108 or US 260427 has not been verified. Source Source Source
  • 密码规则: In a V2 thread identifying firmware 180305, TP-Link support says initial setup requires creating a password and rejects admin as that password. The selected later regional builds remain unverified. Source Source Source

Scoring status

Existing selected scores are a saved comparison baseline, not newly validated final scores. Recheck version, region and assessment path before updating options. Recalculate CATS/GRAS and synchronize this section after all selected options are settled. Do not infer a secure or insecure flash state from a downloadable firmware image or encrypted data volumes.

Research assessment reviewed 2026-10-22. This grade is an assessor risk profile based on the stated evidence and inferences, not a test or certification of an individual installed device.

Assessment scope and limits

Hardware V2, stock firmware. Match country: advisory fix references EU_V2_241108 and US_V2_260427. No cross-region installation assumed; US V2 manual is historical evidence.

Historical vulnerability evidence, current documented capabilities and assessor inferences are identified separately in the comments. Historical-build findings are not asserted in every patched build. Configuration-dependent benefits apply only when the specified settings are enabled. The rubric does not define numerical Rare/Very common thresholds; qualitative mappings are explained.

DATE PROXY approved for this review: 17 December 2013 is the vendor-listed first Archer C7 V2 firmware publication (131217), not a verified regional first-sale date. Archer C7 V2 first firmware publication

Calculation cross-check

Device CRIS 2, 3, 2, 2, CATS 3. System CRIS 2, 3, 3, CATS 3. User Authentication CRIS 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, CATS 2. GRAS 8; expected Grade D. Methodology

Historical vulnerabilities and remediation

CVE-2023-50224: Improper authentication / credential disclosure

  • Affected scope: Vendor explicitly includes Archer C7 V2/V3; earliest affected builds unspecified.
  • Preconditions: Network-adjacent access to vulnerable httpd.
  • Impact: Sensitive information disclosure, including stored credentials.
  • Remediation: EU V2 241108; US V2 260427. Match region and hardware.
  • Severity: Numeric score not independently verified; omitted.
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