CVE-2025-37163 is a command injection vulnerability identified in the command line interface (CLI) of Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s Aruba Networking Airwave Platform, specifically version 8.3.0.0. This vulnerability allows an attacker who has authenticated access with elevated privileges to inject and execute arbitrary operating system commands on the underlying host. The flaw resides in insufficient input validation or improper sanitization of commands passed through the CLI, enabling command injection. Because the attacker must already have high-level privileges, the vulnerability primarily escalates the impact of compromised credentials or insider threats. Exploitation does not require user interaction, and the scope is limited to the Airwave platform instance. Successful exploitation could lead to full system compromise, including unauthorized access to sensitive network management data, disruption of network monitoring and management functions, and potential lateral movement within the network. The vulnerability was reserved in April 2025 and published in November 2025, with no known exploits in the wild at the time of disclosure. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.2, reflecting network attack vector, low attack complexity, required high privileges, no user interaction, and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Airwave is widely used in enterprise environments to manage Aruba wireless and wired network infrastructure, making this vulnerability critical for organizations relying on this platform for network operations.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-37163 could be severe due to the critical role Airwave plays in managing network infrastructure. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized command execution with elevated privileges, potentially resulting in full compromise of the Airwave server. This could disrupt network management operations, degrade network availability, and expose sensitive configuration and monitoring data. Given the interconnected nature of enterprise networks, attackers could leverage this foothold for lateral movement, data exfiltration, or launching further attacks on critical infrastructure. Industries such as telecommunications, finance, healthcare, and government agencies in Europe that depend on HPE Aruba networking solutions are particularly at risk. The requirement for authenticated access somewhat limits the attack surface but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments with weak credential management or insider threats. The absence of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive mitigation, but the high severity score underscores the urgency of addressing this vulnerability.

1. Apply official patches or updates from Hewlett Packard Enterprise as soon as they are released for Airwave version 8.3.0.0 to remediate the vulnerability. 2. Restrict administrative access to the Airwave CLI to a minimal set of trusted personnel and enforce strong authentication mechanisms, including multi-factor authentication (MFA). 3. Implement network segmentation to isolate the Airwave management platform from general user networks and limit exposure to potential attackers. 4. Monitor logs and command execution on the Airwave platform for unusual or unauthorized activity indicative of exploitation attempts. 5. Conduct regular audits of user privileges and remove unnecessary elevated access to reduce the risk of credential misuse. 6. Employ intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) tuned to detect anomalous command injection patterns or suspicious network traffic related to Airwave. 7. Educate administrators on the risks of command injection vulnerabilities and best practices for secure management of network devices. 8. Consider deploying endpoint protection on the Airwave server to detect and block malicious activities resulting from exploitation.