CVE-2018-7080 in Access Point
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability exists in the firmware of embedded BLE radios that are part of some Aruba Access points. An attacker who is able to exploit the vulnerability could install new, potentially malicious firmware into the AP's BLE radio and could then gain access to the AP's console port. This vulnerability is applicable only if the BLE radio has been enabled in affected access points. The BLE radio is disabled by default. Note - Aruba products are NOT affected by a similar vulnerability being tracked as CVE-2018-16986.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/19/2020
The vulnerability described in CVE-2018-7080 represents a critical security flaw within the firmware of embedded Bluetooth Low Energy radios found in certain Aruba access points. This weakness specifically targets the firmware update mechanisms of these wireless networking devices, creating a potential pathway for attackers to compromise the entire access point infrastructure. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it allows for arbitrary firmware installation on the BLE radio component, which serves as a potential backdoor into the broader access point system. The security implications extend beyond simple firmware manipulation, as successful exploitation could provide attackers with access to the AP's console port, enabling full administrative control over the device. This represents a significant escalation from typical network-level attacks to physical device-level compromise, as the console port typically provides the most privileged access to the device's underlying operating system and configuration parameters.
The technical flaw resides in the insufficient validation and authentication mechanisms within the BLE radio firmware update process. When the BLE radio is enabled, the firmware update procedure lacks proper cryptographic verification of the update packages, allowing attackers to inject malicious firmware images that can then be executed on the device. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-502 as a Deserialization of Untrusted Data issue, where the device blindly accepts and executes firmware updates without proper integrity checks. The attack vector specifically requires the BLE radio to be enabled, which is a configuration setting that is disabled by default, making the vulnerability less immediately exploitable but still present as a potential risk. The firmware update mechanism likely lacks proper digital signatures or checksum validation, allowing an attacker with physical proximity to the device to craft and deploy malicious firmware packages that will be accepted and installed by the vulnerable system.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for organizations that have enabled BLE functionality on their Aruba access points without proper security considerations. The attack scenario begins with an attacker gaining physical access to the wireless access point, which is a common threat vector in enterprise environments where devices may be located in accessible areas. Once the malicious firmware is installed on the BLE radio, the attacker can then leverage this component to gain access to the AP's console port, effectively bypassing traditional network security controls and gaining root-level access to the device. This compromises not only the specific access point but also potentially exposes the entire wireless network infrastructure, as access points often serve as critical network nodes that control authentication, encryption, and network segmentation. The vulnerability impacts the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the wireless network services, as attackers could modify configurations, intercept communications, or even cause denial of service conditions.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-7080 focus primarily on disabling the BLE radio functionality when it is not actively required, as this renders the vulnerability non-exploitable. Organizations should conduct thorough inventory assessments to identify all affected access points and ensure that BLE radios are disabled unless specifically needed for legitimate operational purposes such as device provisioning or location services. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit physical access to wireless access points reduces the attack surface for this particular vulnerability. Security teams should also establish firmware update policies that require cryptographic verification of all firmware images before deployment, which would help prevent unauthorized firmware installations even if other security controls fail. Organizations should monitor for security advisories from Aruba and apply patches as soon as they become available, as the vulnerability is specifically related to firmware components that can be updated through vendor-provided security patches. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1068 for Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, as attackers can use the compromised BLE radio to gain elevated privileges and execute commands on the target system. The default disablement of the BLE radio serves as a critical security control that aligns with defense-in-depth principles and demonstrates the importance of secure-by-default configurations in embedded systems.