CVE-2025-37147: Access Point Secure Boot Bypass Flaw

CVE-2025-37147 Overview

CVE-2025-37147 is a Secure Boot Bypass vulnerability affecting certain Access Points. The flaw allows an adversary to bypass the hardware root of trust verification that ensures only vendor-signed firmware executes on the device. Successful exploitation permits an attacker to run modified or custom firmware on affected hardware, undermining the integrity guarantees of the boot chain. The vulnerability is categorized under [CWE-290] (Authentication Bypass by Spoofing) and requires local access to the device. HPE published a security advisory addressing the issue.

Critical Impact
An attacker with local access can subvert Secure Boot and execute unsigned firmware, breaking the device's hardware root of trust and enabling persistent, low-level compromise.

Affected Products

HPE Access Points (specific models listed in the HPE security advisory)
Devices relying on the affected Secure Boot implementation
Firmware versions prior to the fixes referenced in the HPE advisory

Discovery Timeline

2025-10-14 - CVE-2025-37147 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-37147

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in the Secure Boot verification logic of affected Access Points. Secure Boot is designed to establish a chain of trust anchored in hardware, validating each firmware component's cryptographic signature before execution. A flaw in this verification path allows an attacker to bypass the signature check and load firmware not signed by the vendor.

Because the bypass targets the hardware root of trust, the impact extends beyond a single boot cycle. An attacker can install modified firmware that persists across reboots and factory resets. This gives the adversary a foothold below the operating system, where traditional endpoint protections cannot inspect execution. The vulnerability compromises integrity but does not directly affect confidentiality or availability, consistent with its classification.

Root Cause

The root cause is an authentication bypass by spoofing in the Secure Boot flow. The verification routine fails to correctly validate signatures or trust anchors, permitting firmware images that should be rejected. This is a design and implementation weakness in the boot verification component rather than a memory corruption issue.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires local access to the Access Point. An adversary with the ability to interact with the device, such as through a management interface, console port, or physical access, can supply modified firmware that the flawed Secure Boot routine accepts. No user interaction is required, and no privileges on the device are needed prior to the bypass. The scope changes because a bypass of the boot chain affects components beyond the vulnerable module itself.

No public proof-of-concept exploit is currently available, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-37147

Indicators of Compromise

Firmware image hashes on the Access Point that do not match vendor-published values
Unexpected changes to boot configuration, bootloader variables, or firmware version strings
Access Points reporting anomalous behavior after physical or console access events
Unauthorized firmware upload activity logged on the management plane

Detection Strategies

Perform periodic firmware attestation by comparing running firmware measurements against known-good vendor baselines
Correlate console, serial, and management port access events with firmware version changes
Monitor management systems and controllers for unexpected downgrade or upload attempts targeting Access Points
Alert on Access Points that reappear on the network with altered device identifiers or firmware metadata

Monitoring Recommendations

Ingest Access Point and wireless controller logs into a centralized analytics platform for correlation with physical access telemetry
Track firmware version inventory across the fleet and flag deviations from approved builds
Restrict and log all administrative sessions to Access Points, including console and out-of-band interfaces
Review audit trails for firmware update operations, especially outside change windows

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-37147

Immediate Actions Required

Apply the firmware updates referenced in the HPE Security Advisory as soon as they are available for your model
Restrict physical and console access to Access Points to authorized personnel only
Audit the current firmware inventory across all deployed Access Points and identify units running vulnerable versions
Rotate any credentials that may have been exposed on devices at risk of tampering

Patch Information

HPE has published fixes and guidance in the HPE Security Advisory. Administrators should consult the advisory for the specific affected models, fixed firmware versions, and upgrade procedures. Because the vulnerability affects the boot chain, patching should be validated by confirming firmware version and attestation state after the update.

Workarounds

Physically secure Access Points to prevent unauthorized local interaction with console ports or reset interfaces
Disable unused management interfaces and enforce strong authentication on those that remain enabled
Deploy tamper-evident seals or enclosures on Access Points in high-risk locations
Segment Access Point management networks and restrict access to authorized management stations only

bash

# Configuration example: verify running firmware version against approved baseline
# (Replace with vendor CLI syntax for your platform)
show version
show ap image version