CVE-2020-24635 in Instant Access Point
Summary
by MITRE • 03/30/2021
A remote execution of arbitrary commands vulnerability was discovered in some Aruba Instant Access Point (IAP) products in version(s): Aruba Instant 6.5.x: 6.5.4.17 and below; Aruba Instant 8.3.x: 8.3.0.13 and below; Aruba Instant 8.5.x: 8.5.0.10 and below; Aruba Instant 8.6.x: 8.6.0.5 and below; Aruba Instant 8.7.x: 8.7.0.0 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 remote command execution flaw in Aruba Instant Access Point firmware versions across multiple release branches. The issue affects devices running Aruba Instant 6.5.x through 8.7.x versions, with specific vulnerable releases including 6.5.4.17 and below, 8.3.0.13 and below, 8.5.0.10 and below, 8.6.0.5 and below, and 8.7.0.0 and below. The vulnerability exists within the web-based management interface of these wireless access points, creating a significant attack surface that allows unauthorized remote actors to execute arbitrary commands on affected devices. This flaw fundamentally compromises the security posture of wireless networks by enabling attackers to gain full administrative control over the affected access points.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the web management interface of the Aruba Instant firmware. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious HTTP requests that bypass authentication mechanisms and directly invoke system commands through vulnerable parameters in the web interface. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-94 classifications, representing command injection flaws that allow attackers to execute arbitrary code on the target system. The vulnerability operates at the application layer, specifically within the web server component of the access point firmware, making it accessible over standard network protocols without requiring physical access to the device. The flaw essentially allows an unauthenticated attacker to escalate privileges and gain root-level access to the device's operating system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple remote code execution, as it fundamentally undermines the security architecture of wireless networks that rely on Aruba Instant Access Points. Once exploited, attackers can manipulate network configurations, redirect traffic, monitor wireless communications, and potentially establish persistent backdoors within the network infrastructure. This vulnerability directly maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1021 for remote services, enabling attackers to establish long-term network access and conduct advanced persistent threats. The compromise of wireless access points creates a particularly dangerous attack vector because these devices often serve as network entry points and can provide lateral movement capabilities to other network segments. Organizations using affected firmware versions face significant risk of unauthorized network access, data exfiltration, and potential network disruption.
Organizations should immediately implement comprehensive mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability across their wireless infrastructure. The primary remediation approach involves applying the official firmware patches released by Aruba, which address the underlying command injection flaws in the web management interface. Network segmentation should be implemented to isolate wireless access points from critical network segments, reducing the potential impact of successful exploitation. Additionally, organizations should deploy network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, particularly unusual HTTP requests or command execution patterns targeting the affected web interfaces. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify any remaining unpatched devices within the network infrastructure. Security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems specifically configured to monitor for known exploitation patterns associated with this vulnerability, as well as establishing incident response procedures to rapidly address any confirmed exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of timely patch management for network infrastructure devices and highlights the need for continuous security monitoring of wireless network components.