CVE-2020-24636Network attack vector

Privileged command execution via malicious DHCP options

Published Mar 29, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Command injection in affected Aruba Instant releases allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands as a privileged OS user. The DHCP option-processing path passes attacker-controlled option data into an operating-system command without neutralizing command syntax; Aruba has not named the function or option. Exploitation requires control of the DHCP server serving the access point and grants privileged command execution on the underlying operating system.

CVSS severity8.1
High
EPSS probability3.29%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Command injection in affected Aruba Instant releases allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands as a privileged OS user. The DHCP option-processing path passes attacker-controlled option data into an operating-system command without neutralizing command syntax; Aruba has not named the function or option. Exploitation requires control of the DHCP server serving the access point and grants privileged command execution on the underlying operating system.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-24636
Published
Mar 29, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)
Product
Aruba Instant
Classifications
CWE-78, T1203
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 29, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=Aruba Instant 6.5.x: 6.5.4.17 and below
  2. Affected versionversion=Aruba Instant 8.3.x: 8.3.0.13 and below
  3. Affected versionversion=Aruba Instant 8.5.x: 8.5.0.10 and below
  4. Affected versionversion=Aruba Instant 8.6.x: 8.6.0.5 and below
  5. Affected versionversion=Aruba Instant 8.7.x: 8.7.0.0 and below

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) · Aruba Instantversion=Aruba Instant 6.5.x: 6.5.4.17 and below; version=Aruba Instant 8.3.x: 8.3.0.13 and below; version=Aruba Instant 8.5.x: 8.5.0.10 and below; version=Aruba Instant 8.6.x: 8.6.0.5 and below; version=Aruba Instant 8.7.x: 8.7.0.0 and below

Published CVSS scores

8.1Hewlett Packard EnterpriseCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.8NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
10.0NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-78Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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