CVE-2026-76750 in ClearPass Policy Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 10/06/2026
Deserialization of untrusted data vulnerabilities exist in the web interface of HPE Networking ClearPass Policy Manager. Successful exploitation could allow an unauthenticated remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/07/2026
The vulnerability described constitutes a critical security flaw within the web interface of Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) Networking ClearPass Policy Manager, specifically involving the deserialization of untrusted data. This type of vulnerability arises when an application accepts serialized objects from external sources and processes them without adequate validation or sanitization. In this context, the ClearPass Policy Manager fails to properly verify the integrity and origin of data before attempting to deserialize it into executable code structures within its internal memory space. The core technical flaw lies in the absence of strict input filtering mechanisms that would prevent maliciously crafted serialized payloads from being processed by vulnerable methods such as Java's ObjectInputStream or similar deserialization routines found in other programming languages like Python, PHP, or .NET frameworks often utilized in enterprise policy management systems.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability is classified under CWE-502, which denotes Deserialization of Untrusted Data. The exploitation mechanism typically involves an attacker constructing a specially formatted payload that contains malicious logic embedded within the serialized object structure. When the ClearPass web interface receives this data through HTTP requests or API calls, it attempts to reconstruct the original objects from their byte stream representation. Because the system does not sufficiently validate whether these incoming streams originate from trusted sources or contain safe class definitions, the application instantiates arbitrary classes defined by the attacker. This process bypasses standard security controls because the deserialization engine inherently trusts the structure of the data provided, allowing the embedded malicious code to execute within the context of the running application process.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its potential for remote code execution (RCE) without requiring any form of authentication. As an unauthenticated attacker can trigger this flaw directly through network requests, there are no barriers preventing initial access attempts from external networks or compromised internal hosts. Once executed, the arbitrary code runs with the privileges assigned to the ClearPass Policy Manager service account. Depending on the system configuration and deployment environment, these privileges may include administrative rights over the underlying operating system. This allows an attacker to fully compromise the host machine, install backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive policy data, pivot into other network segments protected by the ClearPass infrastructure, or disrupt critical authentication and authorization services provided by the platform.
This vulnerability aligns with several tactics in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to Initial Access and Execution. The attack vector corresponds to T1190, Exploit Public-Facing Application, as it leverages a web service exposed to potential attackers. Furthermore, the technique of using serialized objects for code execution maps closely to T1203, Exploitation for Client Execution or T1610, Drop Binary and Execute, depending on how the payload is delivered and activated within the target environment. The lack of authentication requirement places this vulnerability in a high-risk category similar to CVE-2017-5638 (Apache Struts) or CVE-2021-44228 (Log4j), where remote exploitation leads directly to full system compromise.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The primary defense is the application of vendor-provided patches that update the ClearPass Policy Manager software to versions where input validation has been strengthened or deserialization routines have been replaced with safer alternatives such as JSON parsing, which does not inherently support arbitrary object instantiation. Organizations should ensure their systems are updated immediately upon release of security advisories from HPE. In environments where patching is delayed due to operational constraints, network-level mitigations can be employed. This includes restricting access to the ClearPass web interface via firewall rules to only trusted IP addresses and implementing Web Application Firewalls (WAF) configured with signatures capable of detecting anomalous serialized data patterns or known exploit payloads associated with deserialization attacks.
Additionally, developers and system administrators should adopt secure coding practices that prevent such vulnerabilities from recurring in future software versions. This includes enforcing strict allow-lists for classes permitted during deserialization processes, utilizing cryptographic signing to verify the integrity of incoming data streams, and avoiding the use of native serialization formats like Java Serialization or PHP serialize when possible. Regular security assessments, including static application security testing (SAST) and dynamic application security testing (DAST), should be integrated into the development lifecycle to identify similar flaws early. Monitoring logs for unusual patterns in web traffic directed at ClearPass endpoints can also aid in detecting attempted exploitation activities before successful compromise occurs.