How severe is CVE-2021-40989?

CVE-2021-40989 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2021-40989 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (15th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-40989?

CVE-2021-40989 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-2021-40989?

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-2021-40989 published?

CVE-2021-40989 was published on 2021-10-15 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-40989

CVE-2021-40989 is a high-severity vulnerability in Arubanetworks Clearpass Policy Manager with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 7.2
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (15th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Affected product: Arubanetworks Clearpass Policy Manager
Published: 2021-10-15
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

A local escalation of privilege 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-2021-40989?: A local escalation of privilege 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-2021-40989?: CVE-2021-40989 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-40989 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (15th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-40989?: CVE-2021-40989 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-2021-40989?: 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-2021-40989 published?: CVE-2021-40989 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:-:*:*:*:*:*:*

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