CVE-2024-42502 in Aruba OS
Summary
by MITRE • 09/17/2024
Authenticated command injection vulnerability exists in the ArubaOS command line interface. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability result in the ability to inject shell commands on the underlying operating system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/29/2024
The authenticated command injection vulnerability in ArubaOS command line interface represents a critical security flaw that allows authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary shell commands on the underlying operating system. This vulnerability specifically affects the ArubaOS operating system used in wireless networking equipment, where the command line interface fails to properly sanitize user inputs before processing them. The flaw exists in the way the system handles command execution within its CLI environment, creating a pathway for malicious input to be interpreted and executed as shell commands rather than being treated as simple text input.
This technical vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the ArubaOS command line processing framework. When authenticated users submit commands through the CLI interface, the system does not adequately filter or escape special characters that could be used to manipulate the command execution flow. The flaw allows attackers to inject shell metacharacters such as semicolons, pipes, or command substitution operators that bypass normal input restrictions. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires only authentication credentials to exploit, meaning that any user with valid login access to the ArubaOS CLI can leverage this flaw to escalate their privileges and execute arbitrary system commands.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple command execution capabilities. Successful exploitation enables attackers to gain full system control over the affected ArubaOS devices, potentially allowing them to modify network configurations, access sensitive data, install malware, or establish persistent backdoors within the network infrastructure. This represents a severe compromise of network security, as wireless access points and controllers running ArubaOS form critical components of enterprise network access control. The vulnerability could enable attackers to disrupt network services, perform man-in-the-middle attacks, or use the compromised devices as launching points for lateral movement within the network. Additionally, since many organizations rely on ArubaOS for wireless network management, the compromise of a single device could affect extensive network segments.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-94 categories, representing command injection flaws that permit arbitrary code execution through improper input handling. The attack vector follows patterns consistent with MITRE ATT&CK techniques such as T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for local privilege escalation. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including strengthening authentication controls, applying vendor patches when available, and monitoring for suspicious CLI activity. Network segmentation and access control measures can help limit the potential impact if exploitation occurs, while regular security audits should verify proper input sanitization in all CLI interfaces. The vulnerability underscores the importance of secure coding practices in network infrastructure software and highlights the need for continuous security assessments of critical network components.