CVE-2023-22767 in ArubaOS
Summary
by MITRE • 03/01/2023
Authenticated command injection vulnerabilities exist in the ArubaOS command line interface. Successful exploitation of these vulnerabilities result in the ability to execute arbitrary commands as a privileged user on the underlying operating system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/12/2025
The CVE-2023-22767 vulnerability represents a critical authenticated command injection flaw within the ArubaOS command line interface, posing significant security risks to network infrastructure deployments. This vulnerability specifically affects ArubaOS versions prior to 8.12.0.0, where the command line interface fails to properly validate user input, creating an avenue for malicious actors with legitimate authentication credentials to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary system commands. The flaw exists in the processing of CLI commands where input sanitization mechanisms are insufficient to prevent malicious command sequences from being interpreted and executed by the underlying operating system.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability operates as a command injection attack vector that leverages the authenticated access to the ArubaOS CLI to manipulate command execution flows. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the command processing pipeline, allowing attackers to append malicious commands to legitimate CLI operations. This type of vulnerability maps directly to CWE-77 which defines command injection as the injection of a command into a CLI that is then executed by the underlying operating system. The authenticated nature of this flaw means that an attacker must first establish valid credentials, but once achieved, the privilege escalation path becomes straightforward through the exploitation of the command injection mechanism.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-22767 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with complete control over the underlying operating system where ArubaOS is running. This allows for arbitrary code execution, system reconnaissance, data exfiltration, and potential lateral movement within the network environment. The vulnerability affects network infrastructure devices including wireless controllers, switches, and other ArubaOS-based appliances that rely on the command line interface for administrative operations. From an adversary perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, specifically targeting the command-line interface to execute malicious payloads and maintain persistence within the network infrastructure.
Organizations utilizing ArubaOS devices must implement immediate mitigation strategies to protect their network infrastructure from potential exploitation. The primary recommended action involves upgrading to ArubaOS version 8.12.0.0 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the command injection vulnerability. Additionally, network administrators should implement strict monitoring of CLI access patterns and establish robust logging mechanisms to detect anomalous command sequences that might indicate exploitation attempts. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by limiting administrative access to only authorized personnel and implementing multi-factor authentication for CLI access. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of their ArubaOS deployments to identify any potential unauthorized access or exploitation activities that may have occurred prior to patching. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in network infrastructure software and highlights the need for continuous security monitoring and timely patch management processes to maintain operational security posture.