CVE-2022-37893 in InstantOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/07/2022
An authenticated command injection vulnerability exists in the Aruba InstantOS and ArubaOS 10 command line interface. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability results in the ability to execute arbitrary commands as a privileged user on the underlying operating system of Aruba InstantOS 6.4.x: 6.4.4.8-4.2.4.20 and below; Aruba InstantOS 6.5.x: 6.5.4.23 and below; Aruba InstantOS 8.6.x: 8.6.0.18 and below; Aruba InstantOS 8.7.x: 8.7.1.9 and below; Aruba InstantOS 8.10.x: 8.10.0.1 and below; ArubaOS 10.3.x: 10.3.1.0 and below; Aruba has released upgrades for Aruba InstantOS that address this security vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/19/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical command injection flaw in Aruba's network operating systems affecting multiple versions of both InstantOS and ArubaOS 10. The issue stems from improper input validation within the command line interface where authenticated users can manipulate command parameters to execute arbitrary system commands with elevated privileges. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-77 which specifically addresses command injection flaws in software systems. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires only authentication to exploit, meaning that any user with legitimate access to the system can leverage this weakness to gain unauthorized control over the underlying operating system.
The technical implementation of this flaw occurs within the command processing layer of the Aruba network operating systems where user-supplied input is not properly sanitized before being passed to system execution functions. Attackers can craft malicious commands that bypass normal input validation checks and are subsequently executed with the privileges of the privileged user account. This creates a direct pathway for attackers to escalate their privileges and potentially gain complete system control. The vulnerability affects a wide range of versions including InstantOS 6.4.x through 8.10.x releases and ArubaOS 10.3.x, indicating a widespread issue across multiple product lines and version branches. The specific affected versions demonstrate that this flaw has persisted across several major releases, suggesting either inadequate security testing or a fundamental design issue in the command processing architecture.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted. Successful exploitation allows attackers to execute arbitrary code with system-level privileges, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and network infiltration. Network administrators may lose visibility into their systems as attackers can manipulate command outputs and potentially disable security features. The vulnerability enables lateral movement within the network as attackers can use the compromised system as a launch point for further attacks against other network devices. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 which covers command and scripting interpreter, and T1068 which addresses exploit for privilege escalation. Organizations may face compliance violations and regulatory penalties due to the potential for unauthorized access to sensitive network infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch application as provided by Aruba, which addresses the root cause by implementing proper input sanitization and validation mechanisms. Network segmentation and access control measures should be strengthened to limit the impact of potential exploitation, particularly by implementing the principle of least privilege for user accounts. Monitoring and logging of command line activities should be enhanced to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other network infrastructure components. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of the patches in controlled environments before deployment to production systems to ensure no unintended side effects occur. Organizations should also consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious command execution patterns and alert security teams to potential exploitation attempts.