CVE-2021-25156Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Authenticated directory creation via wget option injection

Published Mar 30, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Arbitrary directory creation in HPE Aruba Instant allows remote authenticated users to create directories through the WebUI. The cplogo-install CLI handler accepts tab characters in its parameter and passes them into a wget call, enabling option injection through /swarm.cgi. Administrative authentication is required; the flaw creates attacker-named directories at arbitrary paths and enables command execution only when chained with other vulnerabilities.

CVSS severity4.9
Medium
EPSS probability39.65%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Arbitrary directory creation in HPE Aruba Instant allows remote authenticated users to create directories through the WebUI. The cplogo-install CLI handler accepts tab characters in its parameter and passes them into a wget call, enabling option injection through /swarm.cgi. Administrative authentication is required; the flaw creates attacker-named directories at arbitrary paths and enables command execution only when chained with other vulnerabilities.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-25156
Published
Mar 30, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)
Product
Aruba Instant
Classifications
T1105
Attack vector
network
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 30, 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 6.4.x: 6.4.4.8-4.2.4.17 and below
  2. Affected versionversion=Aruba Instant 6.5.x: 6.5.4.18 and below
  3. Affected versionversion=Aruba Instant 8.3.x: 8.3.0.14 and below
  4. Affected versionversion=Aruba Instant 8.5.x: 8.5.0.11 and below
  5. Affected versionversion=Aruba Instant 8.6.x: 8.6.0.6 and below
  6. Affected versionversion=Aruba Instant 8.7.x: 8.7.1.0 and below

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) · Aruba Instantversion=Aruba Instant 6.4.x: 6.4.4.8-4.2.4.17 and below; version=Aruba Instant 6.5.x: 6.5.4.18 and below; version=Aruba Instant 8.3.x: 8.3.0.14 and below; version=Aruba Instant 8.5.x: 8.5.0.11 and below; version=Aruba Instant 8.6.x: 8.6.0.6 and below; version=Aruba Instant 8.7.x: 8.7.1.0 and below

Published CVSS scores

4.9NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
4.0NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/I:P/A:N
4.9Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

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.

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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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1105Ingress Tool Transfer

Public exploit references

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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