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% (90th 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% (90th 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% (90th 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…

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