CVE-2024-26300 in Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 02/28/2024
A vulnerability in the guest interface of ClearPass Policy Manager could allow an authenticated remote attacker to conduct a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) attack against an administrative user of the interface. A successful exploit allows an attacker to execute arbitrary script code in a victim's browser in the context of the affected interface.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/18/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-26300 represents a critical security flaw within the guest interface of ClearPass Policy Manager, a widely deployed network access control solution. This issue stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the web-based administrative interface, creating a persistent cross-site scripting vulnerability that can be exploited by authenticated attackers. The flaw specifically affects the guest interface component which serves as a portal for managing guest network access and user authentication, making it a prime target for malicious actors seeking to compromise administrative sessions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through improper sanitization of user-supplied input data within the guest interface forms and data handling mechanisms. When administrative users interact with the interface, the system fails to adequately escape or encode special characters in input fields, allowing malicious payloads to be stored within the application's database. This stored data is subsequently rendered back to administrative users without proper sanitization, creating the classic conditions for a stored XSS attack. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires authentication to the guest interface, but once exploited, provides attackers with the ability to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the administrative user's browser context.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking, as it enables attackers to perform privilege escalation and maintain persistent access to the ClearPass Policy Manager environment. Administrative users who view the compromised guest interface data become unwitting victims of the stored XSS payload, potentially allowing attackers to steal session cookies, modify administrative configurations, or redirect users to malicious sites. This vulnerability particularly threatens organizations relying on ClearPass for network access control, as administrative access to the policy manager directly translates to control over network access policies and user authentication mechanisms. The attack vector requires minimal user interaction beyond normal administrative browsing, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrators frequently monitor guest access data.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and output encoding controls, regular security assessments of web applications, and comprehensive user training on recognizing potential XSS attack vectors. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and follows attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the technique of Web Application Attack. Remediation efforts should focus on implementing proper content security policies, input sanitization mechanisms, and regular vulnerability scanning of web interfaces. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring solutions to detect anomalous behavior patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The affected ClearPass Policy Manager versions require immediate patching or implementation of compensating controls to prevent successful exploitation of this stored XSS vulnerability.