CVE-2023-25591 in ClearPass Policy Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 03/22/2023
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of ClearPass Policy Manager could allow a remote attacker authenticated with low privileges to access sensitive information. A successful exploit allows an attacker to retrieve information which could be used to potentially gain further privileges on the ClearPass instance.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-25591 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the web-based management interface of ClearPass Policy Manager, a network access control solution developed by Aruba Networks. This weakness specifically affects the authentication and authorization mechanisms of the system, creating a pathway for malicious actors to escalate their privileges from low-level authenticated users to potentially full administrative access. The vulnerability stems from inadequate access controls and insufficient input validation within the web interface components that manage user permissions and sensitive data retrieval operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through improper privilege validation mechanisms that fail to adequately verify user permissions before granting access to restricted administrative functions and sensitive configuration data. Attackers exploiting this flaw can leverage their low-privilege authenticated session to access administrative interfaces and retrieve information such as user credentials, system configurations, network policies, and other sensitive operational data. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-284 access control weakness category, specifically representing an insufficient authorization scenario where the system fails to properly enforce access restrictions. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-352 cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities, as the attack can be executed through web-based interfaces without requiring additional authentication mechanisms.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-25591 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the retrieved data can serve as a foundation for further exploitation attempts. An attacker with access to sensitive configuration parameters and user credential information can potentially conduct privilege escalation attacks, modify network policies, or establish persistent access points within the network infrastructure. This vulnerability directly aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1078 valid accounts for maintaining access, T1566 phishing for initial compromise, and T1528 stealer for credential theft. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that ClearPass Policy Manager typically operates in critical network infrastructure environments where unauthorized access could compromise entire network access control systems.
Organizations utilizing ClearPass Policy Manager should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates, implementing additional network segmentation controls, and conducting comprehensive security assessments of their network access control infrastructure. The remediation strategy should focus on strengthening access control mechanisms, implementing proper input validation, and ensuring that all administrative functions require appropriate authorization levels. Security teams should also monitor for potential exploitation attempts through network traffic analysis and implement behavioral analytics to detect anomalous access patterns that may indicate exploitation of this vulnerability. The incident response plan should include procedures for credential rotation and system access revocation in case of successful exploitation, while also ensuring that network monitoring systems are configured to detect unauthorized access attempts to administrative interfaces.