CVE-2021-26962
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2021-26962 is a remote authenticated command injection vulnerability in Aruba AirWave Management Platform that allows authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary commands as root on the underlying host. This affects organizations using AirWave Management Platform versions prior to 8.2.12.0 for network management.
💻 Affected Systems
- Aruba AirWave Management Platform
📦 What is this software?
Airwave by Arubanetworks
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full system compromise with root-level access, allowing complete control over the AirWave server, data exfiltration, lateral movement to other network devices, and persistent backdoor installation.
Likely Case
Attackers with valid credentials gain root shell access to the AirWave server, enabling them to manipulate network configurations, steal sensitive network data, and potentially pivot to other systems.
If Mitigated
Limited impact due to network segmentation, strong authentication controls, and monitoring that detects unusual CLI activity.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires valid credentials but is straightforward once authenticated. Multiple security researchers have published proof-of-concept code.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 8.2.12.0 and later
Vendor Advisory: https://www.arubanetworks.com/assets/alert/ARUBA-PSA-2021-005.txt
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download AirWave version 8.2.12.0 or later from Aruba support portal. 2. Backup current configuration. 3. Apply the update following Aruba's upgrade documentation. 4. Restart the AirWave service or server as required.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict CLI Access
allLimit access to AirWave CLI to only necessary administrative users and implement network access controls.
Implement Network Segmentation
allIsolate AirWave management interface from general network access and implement strict firewall rules.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict access controls and multi-factor authentication for all AirWave administrative accounts
- Monitor and audit all CLI access attempts and command execution on AirWave systems
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check AirWave version via web interface (System > About) or CLI. Versions below 8.2.12.0 are vulnerable.Check Version:
From AirWave CLI: show versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify version is 8.2.12.0 or higher and test that command injection attempts are properly sanitized.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual CLI command patterns
- Multiple failed authentication attempts followed by successful login
- Commands with shell metacharacters in AirWave logs
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound connections from AirWave server
- SSH or other remote access attempts originating from AirWave
SIEM Query:
source="airwave" AND (command="*;*" OR command="*|*" OR command="*`*" OR command="*$(*")