CVE-2017-5824 in Aruba ClearPass
Summary
by MITRE
An unauthenticated remote code execution vulnerability in HPE Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager version 6.6.x was found.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/26/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5824 represents a critical security flaw in HPE Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager version 6.6.x that allows unauthenticated remote code execution. This vulnerability resides within the web-based management interface of the ClearPass Policy Manager, which serves as a centralized authentication, authorization, and accounting solution for wireless and wired network access control. The affected system operates as a policy enforcement point that manages network access policies and user authentication across enterprise networks, making it a prime target for attackers seeking persistent access to critical network infrastructure.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the web application's handling of user-supplied data. Specifically, the flaw exists in how the application processes certain HTTP parameters, allowing an attacker to inject malicious code that gets executed within the context of the web server. This issue manifests as a classic command injection vulnerability where user-controllable input is directly incorporated into system commands without adequate sanitization or validation. The vulnerability falls under CWE-77 and CWE-94 categories, representing command injection and code injection flaws respectively, which are commonly exploited in enterprise network management systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching for organizations utilizing affected ClearPass Policy Manager versions. An unauthenticated attacker can execute arbitrary code on the target system with the privileges of the web server process, typically running as a privileged user account. This remote code execution capability enables attackers to gain full control over the policy manager, potentially allowing them to modify access policies, create backdoor accounts, extract sensitive authentication credentials, or even pivot to other systems within the network infrastructure. The attack surface extends beyond the immediate system to include all network services that depend on ClearPass for authentication and authorization, potentially compromising entire enterprise network access control mechanisms.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches released by HPE, which address the input validation flaws in the web application. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to the ClearPass management interfaces from untrusted networks, while implementing additional authentication mechanisms such as multi-factor authentication for administrative access. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, and T1078.004 for valid accounts, as attackers would likely leverage the executed code to establish persistence and maintain access to the compromised system. Regular security monitoring should be implemented to detect anomalous network traffic patterns and unusual system behavior that may indicate exploitation attempts, while network intrusion detection systems should be configured to alert on suspicious HTTP requests containing known malicious payloads or patterns associated with command injection attacks.