CVE-2019-5317 in Instant Access Point
Summary
by MITRE • 03/29/2021
A local authentication bypass vulnerability was discovered in some Aruba Instant Access Point (IAP) products in version(s): Aruba Instant 6.4.x: 6.4.4.8-4.2.4.18 and below; Aruba Instant 6.5.x: 6.5.4.15 and below; Aruba Instant 8.3.x: 8.3.0.11 and below; Aruba Instant 8.4.x: 8.4.0.5 and below; Aruba Instant 8.5.x: 8.5.0.6 and below; Aruba Instant 8.6.x: 8.6.0.2 and below. Aruba has released patches for Aruba Instant that address this security vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2021
This vulnerability represents a critical local authentication bypass flaw affecting Aruba Instant Access Point products across multiple software versions. The issue stems from inadequate authentication mechanisms that allow unauthorized local access to administrative functions without proper credential verification. The vulnerability impacts a wide range of Aruba Instant versions including 6.4.x through 8.6.x, with specific affected releases documented in the advisory. This type of flaw typically arises from insufficient input validation or improper session management within the device's local administrative interface, creating a pathway for attackers to bypass standard authentication protocols and gain elevated privileges on the affected hardware.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a failure in the authentication subsystem where local administrative access can be obtained without proper credential verification. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can potentially access sensitive device configuration parameters, modify network settings, and manipulate wireless network configurations without requiring legitimate administrative credentials. This flaw operates at the local privilege escalation level and can be particularly dangerous in environments where physical access to the device is possible or where attackers can leverage other initial compromise vectors to reach the local administrative interface. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287 which describes improper authentication issues, and may also map to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1543 for hijacking execution flow.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables attackers to potentially compromise entire wireless networks managed by the affected access points. Network administrators may lose control over critical wireless infrastructure, allowing for man-in-the-middle attacks, unauthorized network segmentation, or complete network disruption. The vulnerability also poses significant risk to organizations relying on Aruba Instant products for critical wireless services, as it could enable attackers to establish persistent access points or redirect network traffic through compromised devices. Organizations may experience service degradation, data exfiltration, or complete network compromise depending on the attacker's objectives and the specific network configuration.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate deployment of vendor-provided patches and firmware updates to address the authentication bypass issue. Network administrators should implement strict physical security measures to prevent unauthorized access to affected devices, particularly in areas where attackers might gain direct access to the hardware. Additional protective measures include disabling unnecessary local administrative interfaces, implementing robust network segmentation, and monitoring for unauthorized access attempts or configuration changes. Organizations should also consider implementing network access control measures and regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar authentication weaknesses in other network components. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of patched firmware to ensure that the authentication bypass is fully resolved without introducing new operational issues. Regular security audits and network monitoring should be maintained to detect any potential exploitation attempts or anomalous behavior that might indicate successful exploitation of this vulnerability.