CVE-2026-79797 in ClearPass Policy Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 10/06/2026
An improper access control vulnerability exists in the Android client application for HPE Networking ClearPass Policy Manager, where application functionality may be invoked by untrusted sources. Successful exploitation could allow an unauthenticated remote attacker, with user interaction, to obtain sensitive information from the affected user.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/07/2026
The identified security flaw resides within the mobile client component of Hewlett Packard Enterprise Networking ClearPass Policy Manager, specifically manifesting as an improper access control vulnerability. This type of weakness typically arises when an application fails to properly validate or enforce restrictions on which users or system processes are authorized to perform specific operations. In this context, the Android-based interface lacks sufficient safeguards to ensure that sensitive functionalities are restricted exclusively to authenticated and authorized personnel. Consequently, the architectural design allows for a scenario where components intended for internal administrative use or privileged user interaction can be triggered by external entities that do not possess valid credentials. This misconfiguration represents a fundamental breakdown in the principle of least privilege, allowing untrusted sources to interact with application logic that should remain isolated from public access vectors.
The technical nature of this vulnerability centers on the exposure of sensitive API endpoints or internal functions without adequate authentication checks at the client-side enforcement layer. While server-side validation is often robust, mobile applications frequently rely on local security controls which can be bypassed through reverse engineering, traffic interception, or automated scripting tools that simulate legitimate user sessions. An attacker who has gained a foothold in the network environment or obtained physical access to an unattended device could exploit this gap by invoking these unprotected functions directly. The requirement for user interaction suggests that the exploitation may involve social engineering tactics, such as tricking a privileged administrator into clicking a malicious link or opening a specially crafted payload within the application interface. This interaction serves as the trigger mechanism that initiates the unauthorized data retrieval process without requiring complex privilege escalation techniques on the backend infrastructure itself.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant due to the nature of ClearPass Policy Manager, which acts as a central hub for network access control and policy enforcement. A successful exploitation allows an unauthenticated remote attacker with user interaction to extract sensitive information from the affected user's session or device storage. This data could include authentication tokens, configuration details, internal IP addresses, or other credentials that facilitate further lateral movement within the enterprise network. The compromise of this intelligence enables attackers to map out security policies and identify high-value targets for subsequent attacks. Furthermore, because ClearPass manages access rights across a wide array of devices and users, any leakage of policy data can undermine the entire zero-trust architecture implemented by the organization, potentially leading to unauthorized network access or denial of service conditions if critical configurations are altered after initial reconnaissance.
To mitigate this risk, immediate remediation should focus on applying vendor-provided patches that address the improper access control logic within the Android client application. Administrators must ensure that all instances of ClearPass Policy Manager and its associated mobile clients are updated to versions where these specific API endpoints have been secured with mandatory authentication checks. In addition to software updates, organizations should implement network segmentation strategies to restrict communication between untrusted networks and the management interfaces of policy managers. Deploying Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) or API gateways that inspect incoming requests for anomalies can provide an additional layer of defense by blocking unauthorized invocation attempts before they reach the application logic. Regular security audits and penetration testing focused on mobile client interactions are also recommended to identify similar misconfigurations across other enterprise applications.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-269, which denotes Improper Privilege Assignment, as it involves allowing actors without appropriate privileges to perform actions reserved for higher-level users. It is further categorized under CWE-749 in some contexts if the exposure allows access to security-critical information that should be protected from unauthorized parties. In terms of offensive cybersecurity frameworks, this scenario maps closely to MITRE ATT&CK technique T1059, Command and Scripting Interpreter, particularly when attackers use automated tools to invoke application functions, or T1213, Data from Information Repositories, if the primary goal is data exfiltration rather than system control. Understanding these mappings helps security teams prioritize detection rules and incident response procedures tailored to this specific threat vector involving mobile client exploitation in enterprise policy management systems.