Overview
CVE-2025-37156 describes a platform-level denial-of-service (DoS) vulnerability affecting ArubaOS-CX software. This vulnerability, if exploited, can allow an attacker with administrative privileges to render an ArubaOS-CX switch non-bootable and effectively non-functional, leading to significant network downtime.
Technical Details
The vulnerability stems from the execution of specific, undisclosed code that can be triggered by an authenticated administrator. While the exact nature of the code and the triggering mechanism remain undisclosed for security reasons, successful execution corrupts the switch’s firmware or critical configuration data, preventing it from booting correctly.
An attacker must have valid administrative credentials to exploit this vulnerability. This underscores the importance of strong password policies and multi-factor authentication for privileged accounts.
CVSS Analysis
The Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) score for CVE-2025-37156 is 6.8 (MEDIUM).
- Vector String: (Hypothetical, as the details are not fully public: AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H)
- Explanation: This score reflects the requirement for local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), high privileges (PR:H, requiring administrative access), no user interaction (UI:N), no change in scope (S:U), no confidentiality impact (C:N), no integrity impact (I:N), but a high availability impact (A:H) due to the device becoming unusable.
Possible Impact
The successful exploitation of CVE-2025-37156 can have a significant impact on network availability and operations:
- Complete Loss of Functionality: The affected switch becomes non-bootable, rendering it completely unusable.
- Network Downtime: The downtime associated with a bricked switch can disrupt critical network services and applications.
- Potential Data Loss: While the vulnerability primarily impacts availability, data loss is possible depending on the switch’s role and the nature of the corruption.
- Recovery Costs: Recovering from this vulnerability may require manual intervention, firmware re-flashing, or even hardware replacement, leading to significant costs.
Mitigation and Patch Steps
To mitigate the risk associated with CVE-2025-37156, it is crucial to take the following steps:
- Apply the Patch: Upgrade to the latest version of ArubaOS-CX software that addresses this vulnerability. Refer to the HPE security bulletin for specific versions and instructions.
- Restrict Administrative Access: Enforce strong password policies and implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all administrative accounts.
- Monitor Network Activity: Implement network monitoring solutions to detect suspicious activity and potential exploitation attempts.
- Regular Backups: Maintain regular backups of switch configurations to facilitate recovery in case of exploitation.
References
HPE Security Bulletin hpesbnw04888en_us
NIST NVD CVE-2025-37156 Entry (When Available)
