CVE-2025-27078: AOS-8 Instant and AOS-10 AP RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2025-27078 Overview

CVE-2025-27078 is an authenticated command injection vulnerability in a system binary of HPE Aruba Networking AOS-8 Instant and AOS-10 access points. An authenticated remote attacker can inject operating system commands through the command-line interface (CLI). Successful exploitation leads to complete compromise of the underlying operating system on affected devices. The flaw is tracked under CWE-78, improper neutralization of special elements used in an OS command.

Critical Impact

Authenticated attackers can execute arbitrary operating system commands on affected Aruba access points, resulting in full system compromise.

Affected Products

• HPE Aruba Networking AOS-8 Instant
• HPE Aruba Networking AOS-10 AP
• Access points running vulnerable firmware versions as listed in the HPE advisory

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-04-08 - CVE-2025-27078 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
• 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-27078

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in a system binary exposed through the AOS CLI on Aruba Instant and AOS-10 access points. The binary accepts user-supplied input and passes it to a shell or command execution function without sufficient sanitization. An attacker who has authenticated to the CLI can inject shell metacharacters that break out of the intended command context.

Because the CLI process typically runs with elevated privileges on the access point, injected commands execute against the underlying operating system with the same privilege level. This allows attackers to read sensitive configuration, modify system state, or establish persistence on the device. The attack requires network reachability to the management interface and valid high-privilege credentials.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper neutralization of special elements used in an OS command [CWE-78]. The affected binary constructs a shell command string that concatenates attacker-controlled CLI arguments without validating or escaping shell metacharacters such as ;, |, &, backticks, or $() substitutions.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires network access to the CLI service (SSH or console-over-network) and authenticated credentials with high privileges on the device. The attacker invokes the vulnerable CLI command and supplies crafted arguments containing shell metacharacters. The injected payload executes in the OS shell context of the AP, enabling arbitrary command execution.

No verified public proof-of-concept code is available. See the HPE Security Advisory for vendor-provided technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-27078

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected shell processes spawned by CLI daemons on Aruba APs, especially those invoking /bin/sh, wget, curl, or nc.
• CLI session logs containing shell metacharacters (;, |, &&, `, $()) in command arguments.
• Outbound network connections from AP management interfaces to unknown external hosts.
• Modifications to AP configuration or persistence artifacts outside of scheduled change windows.

Detection Strategies

• Enable verbose CLI command auditing on Aruba controllers and forward logs to a central SIEM for pattern analysis.
• Alert on CLI command strings containing shell metacharacters or command substitution syntax.
• Correlate administrator authentication events with subsequent anomalous outbound traffic from AP management IPs.

Monitoring Recommendations

• Ingest Aruba AP syslog and CLI audit streams into a centralized logging platform for retention and analytics.
• Monitor administrative account usage for unusual source IPs, off-hours activity, or elevated command frequency.
• Baseline normal CLI command patterns and alert on deviations, particularly commands invoking shell operators.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-27078

Immediate Actions Required

• Apply the firmware updates referenced in the HPE Security Advisory to all affected AOS-8 Instant and AOS-10 AP devices.
• Restrict management-plane access to the APs to a dedicated administrative network or jump hosts.
• Rotate credentials for any administrative accounts used on affected devices.
• Audit CLI session logs for signs of exploitation prior to patching.

Patch Information

HPE Aruba Networking has published fixed firmware versions in advisory hpesbnw04844en_us. Review the advisory to map your running AOS-8 Instant or AOS-10 AP version to the corresponding patched release and schedule upgrades during a maintenance window.

Workarounds

• Limit CLI access to trusted administrative subnets using firewall rules or management ACLs on the AP and upstream devices.
• Enforce role-based access control so that only accounts requiring high privileges can reach the vulnerable CLI commands.
• Require multi-factor authentication for administrative access to Aruba management interfaces where supported.

# Example: restrict SSH management access to an administrative subnet
# Apply on the Aruba controller or upstream firewall
ip access-list standard MGMT-ACL
  permit 10.10.10.0 0.0.0.255
  deny any
!
line vty
  access-class MGMT-ACL in