CVE-2022-37908 is a vulnerability identified in Hewlett Packard Enterprise's Aruba networking products, specifically affecting the Aruba Mobility Conductor (formerly Mobility Master), Aruba Mobility Controllers, WLAN Gateways, and SD-WAN Gateways managed via Aruba Central. The vulnerability allows an authenticated attacker with high privileges to impact the integrity of the ArubaOS bootloader on the 7xxx series controllers. The bootloader is a critical component responsible for initializing the device hardware and loading the operating system securely, forming the foundation of the hardware chain of trust. Compromise of the bootloader integrity can lead to persistent and stealthy attacks, including the potential for unauthorized code execution at a low level, bypassing security controls, and undermining device trustworthiness. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-494 (Download of Code Without Integrity Check), indicating that the bootloader can be modified or replaced without proper integrity verification. Exploitation requires network access (AV:N), high attack complexity (AC:H), and high privileges (PR:H), but no user interaction (UI:N) is needed. The scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability affects resources beyond the initially vulnerable component. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.8 (medium severity), reflecting the significant impact on integrity but limited impact on confidentiality and availability. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. This vulnerability poses a serious risk to the trustworthiness and security of Aruba 7xxx series controllers, which are widely deployed in enterprise WLAN and SD-WAN environments.

For European organizations, this vulnerability could have substantial consequences, especially for those relying on Aruba 7xxx series controllers for critical network infrastructure. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to implant persistent, low-level malware or backdoors within the bootloader, effectively compromising the device's hardware root of trust. This undermines the integrity of network devices, potentially enabling attackers to intercept, manipulate, or reroute sensitive communications without detection. Given the role of these controllers in managing WLAN and SD-WAN gateways, the impact could extend to large-scale network disruptions or espionage campaigns targeting enterprise, government, or critical infrastructure networks. The requirement for high privileges limits exploitation to insiders or attackers who have already compromised administrative credentials, but the absence of user interaction lowers the barrier once access is obtained. The medium CVSS score reflects the balance between the difficulty of exploitation and the critical nature of the bootloader compromise. European organizations in sectors such as finance, telecommunications, government, and critical infrastructure are particularly at risk due to the strategic importance of secure network operations and the widespread use of Aruba products in these sectors.

1. Immediate mitigation should focus on restricting administrative access to Aruba Mobility Controllers and related devices, enforcing strict access controls and multi-factor authentication to reduce the risk of credential compromise. 2. Network segmentation should be implemented to isolate management interfaces of Aruba devices from general user networks and limit exposure to potential attackers. 3. Monitor device integrity and boot processes using available Aruba security features or third-party endpoint detection tools to detect unauthorized changes to the bootloader or firmware. 4. Maintain up-to-date inventories of Aruba devices and firmware versions to quickly identify affected systems. 5. Engage with Hewlett Packard Enterprise support to obtain any available patches or firmware updates addressing this vulnerability as they become available. 6. Implement robust logging and alerting on administrative actions and device reboots to detect suspicious activity indicative of exploitation attempts. 7. Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing focused on network device management interfaces to identify potential privilege escalation or authentication weaknesses. 8. Educate network administrators on the risks associated with this vulnerability and best practices for secure device management.