CVE-2023-22769 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 • 03/01/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-22769 represents a critical authenticated command injection flaw within the ArubaOS command line interface implementation. This vulnerability resides in the authentication and input processing mechanisms of the network operating system, specifically affecting devices running ArubaOS versions prior to the patched releases. The flaw allows an attacker who has already established valid credentials to escalate their privileges and execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system with elevated permissions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the command line interface processing functions. When authenticated users submit commands through the ArubaOS CLI, the system fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before incorporating it into system command executions. This lack of proper input filtering creates an environment where maliciously crafted input can be interpreted and executed as system commands rather than being treated as simple command parameters. The vulnerability specifically affects the command processing pipeline where user input flows directly into shell execution contexts without adequate sanitization measures.
From an operational impact perspective, successful exploitation of CVE-2023-22769 provides attackers with complete control over affected network devices. The authenticated command injection allows adversaries to execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the underlying operating system, potentially enabling them to install backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive configuration data, modify network traffic, or establish persistent access points within the network infrastructure. This vulnerability essentially provides a path for attackers to move laterally within the network environment and escalate their compromise to critical network control points. The impact extends beyond individual device compromise as ArubaOS devices often serve as network gateways and control points, making them prime targets for network-wide infiltration.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in relation to established frameworks such as CWE-77 and CWE-94, which classify command injection vulnerabilities under the broader categories of improper input validation and code injection respectively. The attack pattern aligns with ATT&CK techniques including T1059.001 for command and script interpreter execution and T1566 for phishing with malicious attachments or links that might lead to credential compromise. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches, implementing network segmentation to limit access to privileged CLI interfaces, and monitoring for suspicious command execution patterns. Additionally, enforcing multi-factor authentication, limiting CLI access to essential personnel only, and implementing strict access control policies can significantly reduce the attack surface for this vulnerability. The remediation process should also include comprehensive network scanning to identify all affected devices and proper testing of patches in controlled environments before deployment to production systems.