CVE-2022-37882 is a high-severity authenticated remote command injection vulnerability affecting Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager versions 6.10.x (up to 6.10.6) and 6.9.x (up to 6.9.11). The vulnerability resides in the web-based management interface of the ClearPass Policy Manager, which is a network access control solution widely used for policy enforcement and secure network access. An authenticated attacker with valid credentials can exploit this flaw to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system with root privileges. This is due to improper input validation leading to command injection (CWE-78). Successful exploitation results in complete system compromise, allowing the attacker to manipulate system configurations, exfiltrate sensitive data, disrupt services, or pivot to other network resources. The vulnerability requires authentication but no user interaction beyond that. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.2, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with low attack complexity and no user interaction needed. Aruba has released patches addressing this vulnerability, but no known exploits have been reported in the wild to date.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be significant, especially for enterprises, government agencies, and service providers relying on Aruba ClearPass for network access control and policy enforcement. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized root-level access on critical network management infrastructure, resulting in potential data breaches, disruption of network services, and lateral movement within corporate networks. Given the central role of ClearPass in enforcing security policies, attackers could disable or alter access controls, facilitating further compromise of connected devices and sensitive information. The breach of network access control systems also undermines compliance with European data protection regulations such as GDPR, potentially leading to legal and financial repercussions. Additionally, critical infrastructure sectors using Aruba ClearPass could face operational disruptions, impacting service availability and trust.

European organizations should immediately verify their ClearPass Policy Manager versions and upgrade to the latest patched versions provided by Aruba. Since the vulnerability requires authentication, organizations should enforce strict access controls to the management interface, including limiting access to trusted administrators via network segmentation and VPNs. Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all administrative accounts to reduce the risk of credential compromise. Regularly audit and monitor ClearPass logs for unusual command execution or access patterns. Employ network intrusion detection systems (NIDS) with signatures to detect potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, consider temporarily disabling remote management access or restricting it to secure management networks until patches are applied. Conduct thorough post-patch testing to ensure no residual vulnerabilities remain and maintain an incident response plan tailored to network access control system compromises.