Security Analysis Report
Asus RT-AX1800S
C
MODERATE RISK
This router scores 46/100 - a C. Gets the basics right but leaves gaps that matter on busy networks.
- Every device on your home network is exposed through a single point of failure - Every device on your home network - phones, laptops, security cameras, smart speakers, baby monitors, smart locks - routes through this single point of failure. A flaw at this severity puts all of them in reach of one attacker.
- Your home network is more exposed than it should be - Your home network is more exposed than it should be. Your work laptop, banking sessions, security cameras, and smart home devices all pass through this router - a flaw here gives an attacker leverage over all of them at once.
FCC & Ban Risk
57
/100
C
Supply chain · FCC status · CVEs · Patch support
Security Capabilities
19
/100
F
Zero-Trust · VPN · Segmentation · Monitoring
Device context
Manufacturer
Taiwan-headquartered - ASUSTeK Computer Inc., Taipei, Taiwan - TWSE: 2357. RT-AX1800S manufactured in China.
FCC status
FCC authorized - foreign manufacture rule applies - Foreign manufacture - subject to FCC March 2026 rule
Made in
China
Patch support
Active
Worth doing now
1Replace with a non-Chinese-manufactured alternative when feasible
2Keep firmware updated until you can replace it
3Disable remote management from the WAN side
4Change the default admin password to something unique
5We built Rio to score 8/8 on this framework - it’s the only router we track that does
Security features
Zero-Trust Device Admission
Network Segmentation (VLANs)
Router-Level VPN for All Devices
Domain Allowlisting
Granular Password Control
Guest Auto-Expiry
Clean Supply Chain
Active Threat Monitoring
The Verdict
This router gets the basics right, but the gaps are significant. This model is manufactured in China. If any device on your Wi-Fi gets infected - a kid’s tablet, a smart bulb, a guest’s phone - it can reach your work laptop and banking app on the same flat network.
A C grade is not a sign-off. It means there are real, exploitable issues affecting this network every day.
-
Every device on your home network is exposed through a single point of failure
Every device on your home network - phones, laptops, security cameras, smart speakers, baby monitors, smart locks - routes through this single point of failure. A flaw at this severity puts all of them in reach of one attacker.
Show technical detail
Foreign manufacture - FCC ban applies to this SKU: This model is manufactured in China. The FCC's March 2026 foreign-manufacture rule restricts new authorizations for China-origin electronics regardless of brand origin. This SKU is directly in scope.
-
Your home network is more exposed than it should be
Your home network is more exposed than it should be. Your work laptop, banking sessions, security cameras, and smart home devices all pass through this router - a flaw here gives an attacker leverage over all of them at once.
Show technical detail
Extensive CVE history in Asus RT-AX firmware: Asus has disclosed multiple auth bypass, remote command execution, and privilege escalation CVEs across the RT-AX line. Unpatched routers in this family are active attack targets.
Everything on this network shares the gaps
💻 Work laptop & remote access
🏦 Online banking & passwords
📷 Security cameras & smart locks
👧 Kids' devices & school logins
📱 Every phone & tablet at home
🔊 Smart speakers & streaming
FCC & Ban Risk
57
/100
C
Supply chain · FCC status · CVEs · Patch support
Security Capabilities
19
/100
F
Zero-Trust · VPN · Segmentation · Monitoring
FCC & Ban Risk measures supply-chain exposure, government flags, and CVE history. Security Capabilities measures what the router can actually do to protect your network. How we score →
Device context
Manufacturer
Taiwan-headquartered - ASUSTeK Computer Inc., Taipei, Taiwan - TWSE: 2357. RT-AX1800S manufactured in China.
Country of origin
Built in China
US gov status
FCC authorized - foreign manufacture rule applies - Foreign manufacture - subject to FCC March 2026 rule
Security patches
Active
Worth doing now
1
Replace with a non-Chinese-manufactured alternative when feasible
2
Keep firmware updated until you can replace it
3
Disable remote management from the WAN side
4
Change the default admin password to something unique
5
We built Rio to score 8/8 on this framework. It’s the only router we track that does - and we’d tell you if another one did
🔒
Security capabilities comparison
Here's how your router compares to Rio across the 8 dimensions we built our framework around. (Yes, we made Rio.)
ASUS
your router
Rio Router™
full standard
Zero-Trust Device Admission
Every new device is blocked by default - admin must approve it once, even if it has the right password
Not available
Available
Network Segmentation (VLANs)
Devices on your network are isolated from each other, so a hacked smart TV can't reach your laptop
Partial
Available
Router-Level VPN for All Devices
All traffic - including smart devices that can't run VPN apps - is encrypted before leaving your home
Not available
Available
Domain Allowlisting
Block everything except approved sites; more effective than trying to blacklist billions of harmful URLs
Not available
Available
Granular Password Control
Separate passwords per network zone - changing one doesn't affect others
Partial
Available
Guest Auto-Expiry
Guest devices are automatically removed when they leave; neighbors can't reconnect without re-approval
Not available
Available
Clean Supply Chain
Manufactured outside Chinese legal jurisdiction - not subject to China's National Intelligence Law
Not available
Available
Active Threat Monitoring
Real-time detection of suspicious device behavior, unusual traffic patterns, and known attack signatures on your network
Partial
Available
Rio scores 8/8 - we built it to hit every dimension on this framework. Know a router that does? Tell us and we’ll add it.
Get Rio →
See all Asus models: Asus brand overview →
Rio is the only router that scores 8/8. One step up from where you are.
Free US shipping · 30-day money-back · Works with any internet provider
Watch for new threats
If a new vulnerability is found for your Asus RT-AX1800S, we'll email you. One email per incident. No spam.
China-made - FCC foreign manufacture ban applies to this model.
How this was scored · verified March 2026: This rating combines FCC authorization status, manufacturer legal jurisdiction, CVEs from NIST NVD, active patch support status, and CISA advisory mentions. See full methodology →
Reference Data
Known CVEs - Asus brand history
From the NIST National Vulnerability Database. Your specific model may or may not be affected.
Format string vulnerability in iperf service. Unauthenticated remote code execution.
See all Asus CVEs: NIST NVD search →
Sources & evidence
All findings trace to publicly verifiable primary sources - US government databases, official FCC filings, and NIST CVE records. No proprietary or anonymous sources are used.
Full data source documentation: Scoring Methodology & Citations →