CVE-2014-7299 in ArubaOS
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in administrative interfaces in ArubaOS 6.3.1.11, 6.3.1.11-FIPS, 6.4.2.1, and 6.4.2.1-FIPS on Aruba controllers allows remote attackers to bypass authentication, and obtain potentially sensitive information or add guest accounts, via an SSH session.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/29/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7299 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw within the administrative interfaces of ArubaOS versions 6.3.1.11, 6.3.1.11-FIPS, 6.4.2.1, and 6.4.2.1-FIPS operating on Aruba wireless controllers. This weakness resides in the secure shell implementation that governs remote administrative access to network infrastructure devices, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on these controllers for wireless network management. The vulnerability specifically affects the authentication mechanisms that should normally validate user credentials before granting administrative privileges, allowing unauthorized parties to gain elevated access without proper authorization.
Technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through SSH sessions where attackers can manipulate the authentication flow to bypass standard credential validation processes. The flaw enables remote attackers to obtain sensitive information that would normally be restricted to authorized administrators, including network configurations, user credentials, and system data. Additionally, the vulnerability permits malicious actors to add guest accounts to the system, potentially creating persistent access points for unauthorized users. This authentication bypass represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege and undermines the fundamental security model of the network infrastructure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with the ability to manipulate network configurations and potentially establish backdoor access points. Organizations using affected ArubaOS versions face significant risks including data breaches, network disruption, and potential lateral movement within their infrastructure. The vulnerability affects the core administrative functions of wireless controllers, which typically serve as central points for managing large-scale wireless networks, making the impact multiplier substantial for enterprises with extensive wireless deployments. Network administrators lose control over their wireless infrastructure, potentially allowing attackers to modify access policies, create unauthorized network segments, or exfiltrate sensitive data.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of firmware updates from Aruba to address the authentication bypass flaw. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to administrative interfaces, enforce strong authentication mechanisms including multi-factor authentication, and conduct regular security audits of administrative access points. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues in software systems, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting through network exploitation. Security monitoring should focus on unusual SSH connection patterns and administrative access logs to detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing network access control policies that restrict administrative access to trusted network segments and employ network behavior analysis tools to identify anomalous access patterns that may indicate exploitation of this vulnerability.