CVE-2023-22752 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

This CVE-2023-22752 article provides information about unauthenticated stack-based buffer overflow vulnerabilities in the PAPI protocol affecting certain HPE Aruba products.

Understanding CVE-2023-22752

This CVE involves critical vulnerabilities in the PAPI protocol used by Aruba Networks, impacting various HPE products like Aruba Mobility Conductor, Aruba Mobility Controllers, WLAN Gateways, and SD-WAN Gateways managed by Aruba Central.

What is CVE-2023-22752?

The CVE-2023-22752 involves stack-based buffer overflow vulnerabilities that allow unauthenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary code with high privileges on the underlying operating system. These vulnerabilities can be exploited by sending specially crafted packets to the PAPI UDP port (8211).

The Impact of CVE-2023-22752

The successful exploitation of these vulnerabilities can lead to unauthorized remote code execution, enabling attackers to take control of affected devices and potentially compromise sensitive information. The severity is rated as critical with high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-22752

This section provides detailed technical information about the vulnerability:

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerabilities are due to stack-based buffer overflows in the PAPI protocol, allowing attackers to send malicious packets to the UDP port (8211) and execute arbitrary code as privileged users on the targeted systems.

Affected Systems and Versions

The affected products include Aruba Mobility Conductor, Aruba Mobility Controllers, WLAN Gateways, and SD-WAN Gateways managed by Aruba Central running specific versions such as ArubaOS 8.6.x.x, 8.10.x.x, ArubaOS 10.3.x.x, and SD-WAN 8.7.0.0-2.3.0.x.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit these vulnerabilities remotely by sending specially crafted packets to the PAPI UDP port (8211), triggering the buffer overflow condition and executing arbitrary code on the target system.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2023-22752 and mitigate its impact, consider the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply security patches and updates provided by HPE to address the vulnerabilities.
Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activity targeting the PAPI protocol.
Implement network segmentation to restrict access to vulnerable systems.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and maintain software and firmware to address known security issues.
Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities proactively.
Educate users and administrators about safe security practices to prevent and respond to potential threats.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security advisories and updates from HPE for the affected products to deploy patches promptly and protect your systems from potential exploitation.