CVE-2021-25143Network attack vector

Unauthenticated access-point reboot via PAPI protocol

Published Mar 29, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Denial of service in HPE Aruba Instant allows remote attackers to reboot affected 8.3.x, 8.5.x, and 8.6.x access points via PAPI. The PAPI service on UDP port 8211 accepts unauthenticated traffic that triggers a system reboot; HPE has not disclosed the faulty input or operation. No credentials or user interaction are required, and repeated triggering can keep legitimate wireless users without service.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability1.31%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Denial of service in HPE Aruba Instant allows remote attackers to reboot affected 8.3.x, 8.5.x, and 8.6.x access points via PAPI. The PAPI service on UDP port 8211 accepts unauthenticated traffic that triggers a system reboot; HPE has not disclosed the faulty input or operation. No credentials or user interaction are required, and repeated triggering can keep legitimate wireless users without service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-25143
Published
Mar 29, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)
Product
Aruba Instant
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 29, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 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 8.3.x: 8.3.0.12 and below
  2. Affected versionversion=Aruba Instant 8.5.x: 8.5.0.9 and below
  3. Affected versionversion=Aruba Instant 8.6.x: 8.6.0.4 and below

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) · Aruba Instantversion=Aruba Instant 8.3.x: 8.3.0.12 and below; version=Aruba Instant 8.5.x: 8.5.0.9 and below; version=Aruba Instant 8.6.x: 8.6.0.4 and below

Published CVSS scores

7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.0NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P
7.5Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

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

T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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