CVE-2025-37126 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) Aruba Networking EdgeConnect SD-WAN Gateway devices, specifically versions 9.4.0.0 and 9.5.0.0. The vulnerability resides in the device's Command Line Interface (CLI), which improperly restricts command execution privileges. Authenticated remote users can exploit this flaw to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system with root-level privileges. This means an attacker who has valid credentials can escalate their privileges to full administrative control over the device. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.2, reflecting a network attack vector with low attack complexity but requiring high privileges and no user interaction. The impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is rated high, as root access allows complete control over the device, including the ability to manipulate network traffic, disrupt services, or exfiltrate sensitive data. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the presence of this vulnerability in critical SD-WAN infrastructure devices makes it a significant risk. SD-WAN gateways are pivotal in managing wide area network traffic, enforcing security policies, and ensuring connectivity between branch offices and cloud or data center resources. Compromise of these devices can lead to widespread network disruption and data breaches. The vulnerability was reserved in April 2025 and published in September 2025, indicating recent discovery and disclosure. No patches or mitigation links are provided yet, suggesting organizations must monitor HPE advisories closely for updates.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability is substantial. Many enterprises and service providers in Europe rely on HPE Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN gateways to secure and optimize their network infrastructure. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive corporate networks, interception or manipulation of data in transit, and disruption of critical business operations. Given the root-level access achievable, attackers could implant persistent malware, create backdoors, or pivot to other internal systems, amplifying the breach impact. This is especially critical for sectors with stringent regulatory requirements such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure, where data confidentiality and service availability are paramount. The disruption of SD-WAN services could degrade connectivity for branch offices, remote workers, and cloud services, impacting productivity and potentially violating compliance mandates like GDPR. Furthermore, the ability to execute arbitrary commands remotely could facilitate espionage or sabotage by advanced persistent threat actors targeting European enterprises.

Immediate mitigation steps include: 1) Restricting access to the SD-WAN gateway CLI to only trusted administrators and limiting network exposure of management interfaces through network segmentation and firewall rules. 2) Enforcing strong authentication mechanisms, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), to reduce the risk of credential compromise. 3) Monitoring logs and network traffic for unusual command execution patterns or unauthorized access attempts. 4) Applying principle of least privilege by reviewing and minimizing user roles with CLI access. 5) Closely tracking HPE security advisories for the release of patches or firmware updates addressing this vulnerability and applying them promptly. 6) If possible, temporarily disabling remote CLI access or restricting it to secure management networks until patches are available. 7) Conducting internal vulnerability assessments and penetration tests focusing on SD-WAN infrastructure to identify potential exploitation attempts. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on access control hardening, monitoring, and proactive vulnerability management tailored to the SD-WAN environment.