CVE-2009-3836 in ArubaOS
Summary
by MITRE
ArubaOS 3.3.1.x, 3.3.2.x, RN 3.1.x, 3.4.x, and 3.3.2.x-FIPS on the Aruba Mobility Controller allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (Access Point crash) via a malformed 802.11 Association Request management frame.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/25/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-3836 represents a critical denial of service flaw within ArubaOS firmware versions spanning multiple release lines including 3.3.1.x, 3.3.2.x, RN 3.1.x, 3.4.x, and 3.3.2.x-FIPS on Aruba Mobility Controllers. This weakness specifically targets the processing of 802.11 Association Request management frames which are fundamental components of wireless network communication protocols. The flaw exists at the protocol parsing layer where the system fails to properly validate incoming association requests, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by remote attackers to disrupt network operations. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it affects multiple versions of the ArubaOS firmware, indicating a widespread issue that would impact numerous enterprise wireless deployments.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the wireless access point management frame processing logic. When an attacker crafts a malformed 802.11 Association Request frame with specific malformed parameters, the Aruba Mobility Controller's firmware fails to properly handle the malformed data structure during parsing operations. This parsing failure results in a system crash or unexpected termination of the access point service, effectively causing the wireless access point to become unresponsive and disconnect from the network infrastructure. The flaw operates at the network protocol level and does not require authentication or privileged access, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited from remote locations without physical proximity to the affected hardware.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can severely compromise wireless network availability and business continuity for organizations relying on Aruba Mobility Controllers. When access points crash due to this vulnerability, users experience complete loss of wireless connectivity within the affected coverage areas, potentially disrupting critical business operations, emergency services, or enterprise communication systems. The remote exploitability aspect means that attackers can target these vulnerabilities from outside the physical network perimeter, making traditional network segmentation controls ineffective against this specific threat vector. Organizations with large wireless deployments may face cascading failures if multiple access points are simultaneously compromised, leading to widespread network outages that can be difficult to diagnose and recover from.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including firmware updates to the latest available versions that contain patches addressing this vulnerability, network segmentation to limit attack surface, and monitoring of wireless network traffic for anomalous association request patterns. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which covers improper validation of input boundaries, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks. Security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems capable of identifying malformed 802.11 frames and establishing incident response procedures for rapid recovery from potential exploitation attempts. Regular vulnerability assessments and network monitoring should be conducted to identify similar parsing vulnerabilities in other wireless infrastructure components that may present analogous attack surfaces.