CVE-2025-37148: AOS-8 Instant & AOS 10 DoS Vulnerability

CVE-2025-37148 Overview

CVE-2025-37148 is a denial of service vulnerability in the ethernet frame parsing logic of HPE Aruba Networking AOS-8 Instant and AOS 10. An unauthenticated attacker with adjacent network access can send crafted ethernet frames that disrupt device operation. Successful exploitation forces manual intervention to restore network services.

The flaw is categorized under [CWE-400] Uncontrolled Resource Consumption. Because the attack vector is adjacent, the attacker must be positioned on the same layer 2 broadcast domain as the target access point or controller.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated adjacent attackers can crash or hang Aruba AOS-8 Instant and AOS 10 devices, taking wireless infrastructure offline until administrators manually restore service.

Affected Products

HPE Aruba Networking AOS-8 Instant
HPE Aruba Networking AOS 10
Access points and gateways running the affected firmware branches

Discovery Timeline

2025-10-14 - CVE-2025-37148 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-37148

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in the ethernet frame parsing routines used by AOS-8 Instant and AOS 10. When the affected code processes a malformed frame, it fails to handle the input safely and consumes resources uncontrollably. The result is a denial of service condition affecting the device's ability to forward traffic or maintain wireless services.

Because the flaw is triggered by frame parsing, exploitation does not require any authentication or user interaction. A single crafted frame or sequence of frames sent from the local network segment is sufficient. Recovery typically requires an administrator to reboot or reset the affected system.

The HPE Security Bulletin documents affected versions and fixed builds.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper handling of ethernet frame structures during parsing, mapped to [CWE-400] Uncontrolled Resource Consumption. The parser does not enforce sufficient validation on frame contents before allocating or processing resources tied to the frame.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires adjacent network access, meaning the attacker must be on the same layer 2 segment as the vulnerable device. This includes connected wired ports, associated wireless clients, or compromised endpoints in the same VLAN. No credentials or user interaction are required. The attacker sends malformed ethernet frames directly to the device, triggering the parsing failure and taking the system offline.

No public proof-of-concept exploit code is available at this time. Refer to the vendor advisory for technical specifics.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-37148

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected reboots, crashes, or hangs of Aruba access points or gateways running AOS-8 Instant or AOS 10
Loss of wireless service on affected devices without a corresponding configuration change or scheduled maintenance
Elevated volumes of malformed ethernet frames observed on switch ports adjacent to Aruba infrastructure

Detection Strategies

Monitor syslog and SNMP traps from Aruba devices for unexpected process restarts, watchdog resets, or interface flaps
Deploy network sensors on wireless management VLANs to flag anomalous or malformed layer 2 traffic
Correlate device availability events with switch port traffic anomalies to identify frames preceding device failures

Monitoring Recommendations

Ingest AOS-8 Instant and AOS 10 logs into a centralized SIEM for continuous availability monitoring
Establish baseline uptime and reboot frequency for each access point and alert on deviations
Track adjacent-network anomalies including unusual source MAC addresses generating high frame rates on management or client VLANs

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-37148

Immediate Actions Required

Apply the fixed firmware versions listed in the HPE Security Bulletin for AOS-8 Instant and AOS 10
Inventory all Aruba access points and gateways to identify devices running vulnerable firmware branches
Restrict layer 2 access to Aruba management and client VLANs from untrusted endpoints

Patch Information

HPE has released fixed firmware builds for the affected AOS-8 Instant and AOS 10 branches. Consult the vendor bulletin hpesbnw04958en_us for the exact fixed versions applicable to each hardware platform and deployment mode. Upgrade during a scheduled maintenance window and validate device functionality after the update.

Workarounds

Enforce port security and 802.1X authentication on wired ports to limit which endpoints can transmit frames on the same segment as Aruba devices
Segment guest and untrusted wireless clients into isolated VLANs that do not share layer 2 adjacency with management interfaces
Restrict physical access to network ports connected to Aruba infrastructure to reduce exposure to malicious frame injection

bash

# Configuration example: verify AOS version and plan upgrade
show version
show ap database
# Upgrade image on an Instant AP cluster (example syntax)
upgrade-image <fixed-firmware-url>