How severe is CVE-2021-40988?

CVE-2021-40988 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.2, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2021-40988 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (89th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-40988?

CVE-2021-40988 primarily affects Arubanetworks Clearpass Policy Manager. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-40988?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2021-40988 published?

CVE-2021-40988 was published on 2021-10-15 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-40988

CVE-2021-40988 is a high-severity vulnerability in Arubanetworks Clearpass Policy Manager with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.2. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-22.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.2)
CVSS v2: 9.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 4% (89th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-22
Affected product: Arubanetworks Clearpass Policy Manager
Published: 2021-10-15
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

A remote directory traversal vulnerability was discovered in Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager version(s): ClearPass Policy Manager 6.10.x prior to 6.10.2 - - ClearPass Policy Manager 6.9.x prior to 6.9.7-HF1 - - ClearPass Policy Manager 6.8.x prior to 6.8.9-HF1. Aruba has released patches for ClearPass Policy Manager that address this security vulnerability.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-40988?: A remote directory traversal vulnerability was discovered in Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager version(s): ClearPass Policy Manager 6.10.x prior to 6.10.2 - - ClearPass Policy Manager 6.9.x prior to 6.9.7-HF1 - - ClearPass Policy Manager 6.8.x prior to 6.8.9-HF1. Aruba has released patches for ClearPass Policy Manager that address this security vulnerability.
How severe is CVE-2021-40988?: CVE-2021-40988 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.2, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-40988 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (89th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-40988?: CVE-2021-40988 primarily affects Arubanetworks Clearpass Policy Manager. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-40988?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2021-40988 published?: CVE-2021-40988 was published on 2021-10-15 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://www.arubanetworks.com/assets/alert/ARUBA-PSA-2021-018.txt

Affected products (3)

cpe:2.3:a:arubanetworks:clearpass_policy_manager:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:arubanetworks:clearpass_policy_manager:6.8.9:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:arubanetworks:clearpass_policy_manager:6.9.7:-:*:*:*:*:*:*

More vulnerabilities in Arubanetworks Clearpass Policy Manager

CVE-2022-23660 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): A remote authentication bypass vulnerability was discovered in Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager version(s): 6.10.4 and…
CVE-2022-23658 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): A remote authentication bypass vulnerability was discovered in Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager version(s): 6.10.4 and…
CVE-2022-23657 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): A remote authentication bypass vulnerability was discovered in Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager version(s): 6.10.4 and…
CVE-2023-25589 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of ClearPass Policy Manager could allow an unauthenticated remote…
CVE-2021-40997 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): A remote authentication bypass vulnerability was discovered in Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager version(s): ClearPass…
CVE-2021-40996 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): A remote authentication bypass vulnerability was discovered in Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager version(s): ClearPass…

All CVEs affecting Arubanetworks Clearpass Policy Manager →

Other CWE-22 (Path Traversal) vulnerabilities

CVE-2026-48282 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): ColdFusion versions 2025.9, 2023.20 and earlier are affected by an Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted…
CVE-2026-54917 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): SeaweedFS is a distributed storage system for object storage (S3), file systems, and Iceberg tables. Prior to 4.30, the…
CVE-2026-11429 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Two endpoints in the Vault Service ScriptsController, shared by Altium Enterprise Server and Altium 365, accept file…
CVE-2026-34909 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): A malicious actor with access to the network could exploit a Path Traversal vulnerability found in UniFi OS devices to…
CVE-2026-7411 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): In Eclipse BaSyx Java Server SDK versions prior to 2.0.0-milestone-10, inadequate path normalization in the Submodel…
CVE-2026-36767 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): A path traversal vulnerability in the /content/images/add endpoint of shopizer v3.2.5 allows attackers write arbitrary…

Browse all CWE-22 (Path Traversal) vulnerabilities →