CVE-2022-43541 in EdgeConnect Enterprise
Summary
by MITRE • 12/12/2022
Vulnerabilities in the Aruba EdgeConnect Enterprise command line interface allow remote authenticated users to run arbitrary commands on the underlying host. A successful exploit could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary commands as root on the underlying operating system leading to complete system compromise in Aruba EdgeConnect Enterprise Software version(s): ECOS 9.2.1.0 and below; ECOS 9.1.3.0 and below; ECOS 9.0.7.0 and below; ECOS 8.3.7.1 and below.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/13/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-43541 represents a critical command injection flaw within the Aruba EdgeConnect Enterprise software ecosystem. This security weakness exists in the command line interface component of the EdgeConnect operating system and affects multiple versions including ECOS 9.2.1.0 and below, ECOS 9.1.3.0 and below, ECOS 9.0.7.0 and below, and ECOS 8.3.7.1 and below. The flaw allows authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying host system, potentially leading to complete system compromise. This vulnerability specifically targets the privilege escalation aspect of the system architecture, where legitimate administrative access can be leveraged to gain root-level privileges and execute malicious code with the highest possible system permissions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the command line interface processing functions. When authenticated users submit commands through the interface, the system fails to properly sanitize user inputs before executing them on the underlying operating system. This creates a classic command injection attack vector where malicious payloads can be crafted to bypass normal security controls and execute unintended system commands. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-88 categories, representing command injection flaws that allow attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the target system. The flaw demonstrates poor security design principles where user-supplied data is directly interpreted and executed without proper validation mechanisms, creating an attack surface that can be exploited by malicious actors with legitimate administrative credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass complete system compromise and potential data exfiltration. Successful exploitation allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands as root, effectively providing them with unrestricted access to all system resources, files, and network interfaces. This level of access enables attackers to install backdoors, modify system configurations, extract sensitive data, and potentially pivot to other systems within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects enterprise network security appliances that are critical for edge connectivity and security policy enforcement, making the potential impact particularly severe for organizations relying on Aruba EdgeConnect solutions for their network security infrastructure. Organizations using affected versions may face significant operational disruption, regulatory compliance violations, and potential legal consequences due to compromised network security.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating to the latest supported versions of Aruba EdgeConnect Enterprise software that contain patches for this vulnerability. The remediation process should involve comprehensive network segmentation to limit access to administrative interfaces, implementing strict access controls and authentication mechanisms, and monitoring for suspicious command execution patterns. Security teams should also consider deploying network intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts and establish incident response procedures specifically addressing command injection vulnerabilities. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) and T1566 (Phishing) categories as attackers may leverage this vulnerability after gaining initial access through social engineering or credential compromise. Organizations should also conduct thorough security assessments of their network infrastructure to identify other potential command injection vulnerabilities and implement defense-in-depth strategies including privileged access management, regular security audits, and continuous monitoring of administrative access logs to detect unauthorized command execution attempts.