CVE-2022-43538 in ClearPass Policy Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 01/05/2023
Vulnerabilities in the ClearPass Policy Manager web-based management interface allow remote authenticated users to run arbitrary commands on the underlying host. Successful exploits could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary commands as root on the underlying operating system leading to complete system compromise in Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager version(s): ClearPass Policy Manager 6.10.x: 6.10.7 and below and ClearPass Policy Manager 6.9.x: 6.9.12 and below.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/28/2023
The CVE-2022-43538 vulnerability represents a critical remote command execution flaw within Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager web-based management interface. This vulnerability exists in specific versions of the ClearPass Policy Manager software, particularly affecting releases 6.10.x up to 6.10.7 and 6.9.x up to 6.9.12. The flaw allows authenticated attackers to escalate their privileges and execute arbitrary commands with root-level permissions on the underlying operating system, fundamentally compromising the entire system integrity.
This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and improper sanitization of user-supplied data within the web interface components of ClearPass Policy Manager. The technical implementation appears to lack proper parameter validation mechanisms that would normally prevent malicious command injection attempts. When authenticated users submit crafted inputs through the web management interface, the system fails to properly sanitize these inputs before processing them, creating an exploitable condition that enables arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the web-based management interface components that handle user requests and process administrative commands.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and encompasses complete system compromise. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can gain root-level access to the underlying operating system, enabling them to perform actions such as installing malicious software, modifying system configurations, accessing sensitive data, and establishing persistent backdoors. This level of access allows attackers to effectively take full control of the ClearPass Policy Manager appliance, potentially compromising the entire network security infrastructure that relies on this policy management system. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the ClearPass platform, which is designed to manage network access policies and authentication controls, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by upgrading to patched versions of ClearPass Policy Manager, specifically versions 6.10.8 and 6.9.13 or later. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit the attack surface and restrict access to the ClearPass management interface. Regular security audits and monitoring of the web interface for suspicious activities are essential. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-94 categories related to command injection and code injection flaws, and it maps to ATT&CK techniques such as T1059.001 for command and script injection. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and input validation controls can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to mitigate potential exploitation attempts.