Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessGain adjacent network access to management VLAN
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DeliverySend crafted unauthenticated request to AOS-CX management interface
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ExploitBypass authentication controls
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ExecutionIssue unauthorized configuration commands
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ImpactModify switch resources or disrupt services
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A07:2025 - Authentication Failures
ASVS 5.0
V6 - Authentication Authentication mechanism validation
MITRE ATT&CK
2 techniques across 2 tactics: Defense Evasion, Initial Access The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. |
| Exploitation Conditions | The attacker must be on the same network segment (Layer-2 adjacent) as the AOS-CX switch management interface - this is the primary limiting condition enforced by the AV:A CVSS metric. No authentication is required (PR:N), and no user interaction is needed (UI:N). The management interface must be reachable from the attacker's position, which is typical in environments where the management VLAN is co-hosted with user or server VLANs rather than isolated. Exploitation does not appear to require a specific non-default configuration based on available data; however, the exact protocol or interface (REST API, SSH, OVSDB) through which the bypass is triggered is not specified in the advisory. Confidentiality impact is explicitly absent (C:N per CVSS), meaning sensitive data exfiltration is not a direct consequence - exploitation is limited to unauthorized resource modification and limited availability disruption. |
| Impact | The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L) yields a score of 7.1, which reflects accurately constrained real-world exploitability: the adjacent-network requirement means an attacker must already be on the same Layer-2 segment or VLAN as the switch management interface, significantly reducing the exposed population relative to a fully internet-facing service. The integrity impact is rated High, meaning successful exploitation could result in unauthorized reconfiguration of the switch - a serious outcome in any network infrastructure context - while availability impact is rated Low, consistent with the advisory language of 'limited disruption.' No EPSS data was provided in the input, and the vulnerability is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog, suggesting no confirmed active exploitation. That said, even a mid-sized municipal IT team in koszalin should treat this as urgent if HPE AOS-CX switches are deployed with management interfaces accessible from shared VLANs or inadequately segmented networks, since an adjacent attacker on such a segment faces low complexity exploitation with no privilege requirement. The absence of a CWE assignment and no specific affected version range in the advisory are gaps that slightly reduce confidence in scoping the exposure. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker connected to the same management VLAN or Layer-2 segment as an AOS-CX switch sends crafted network requests that bypass the device's authentication logic without supplying valid credentials. Once authentication is circumvented, the attacker issues configuration commands - such as altering routing tables, ACLs, or port configurations - resulting in unauthorized network changes and potential traffic disruption. No public exploit code has been identified at time of analysis, but the low attack complexity (AC:L) suggests the bypass does not require sophisticated tooling once the exploitation method is known. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Sep 01, 2026
Authentication bypass in the HPE AOS-CX switch operating system allows an unauthenticated attacker with adjacent network access to circumvent existing authentication controls, enabling unauthorized modification of switch resources and limited service disruption. Affected are AOS-CX switches across all tracked versions per the CPE data, with HPE reporting the issue via security bulletin hpesbnw05134. No public exploit code has been identified at time of analysis, and the vulnerability has not been added to the CISA KEV catalog.
RemediationAI
Consult the HPE security bulletin at https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=hpesbnw05134en_us&docLocale=en_US for the official patch and affected version details; no specific fixed firmware version is present in the available input data so a patched version cannot be cited here. As an immediate compensating control, restrict access to the AOS-CX management plane - including REST API, SSH, and OVSDB interfaces - to explicitly trusted, authenticated hosts via ACLs or a dedicated out-of-band management network, reducing the adjacent-attack surface. Where possible, enable additional authentication layers (for example, RADIUS or TACACS+ enforcement at the management interface) as a defense-in-depth measure, noting that if the bypass operates below these controls it may reduce but not eliminate risk. Monitor switch audit logs for unexpected configuration changes, which would be the observable signal of successful exploitation before a patch is applied.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 1 package in euvd
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
AOS-CX is the Linux-based network operating system powering HPE's data center and campus switching product line, supporting features such as REST API management, OVSDB, and VSX stacking. The CPE string cpe:2.3:a:hewlett_packard_enterprise_(hpe):aos-cx:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* covers all released AOS-CX versions without version bounding, suggesting broad exposure across the product line. No CWE has been assigned, which limits precise root-cause classification; the advisory language of 'circumvent existing authentication controls' is consistent with CWE-287 (Improper Authentication) or CWE-306 (Missing Authentication for Critical Function), but this cannot be confirmed from available data. The adjacent-network attack vector (AV:A) indicates the authentication flaw is reachable via the switch's management plane - typically a dedicated management VLAN, out-of-band interface, or in-band management network - rather than the broader internet.
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Severity by source
AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L
Adjacent-network reach limits exposure; auth bypass with no privileges needed drives PR:N; no confidentiality impact per description.
Primary rating from Vendor (hpe).
CVSS VectorVendor: hpe
DescriptionCVE.org
Vulnerabilities have been identified in the operating system of AOS-CX switches that could potentially allow an unauthenticated remote actor to circumvent existing authentication controls. In some cases this could enable unauthorized modification of affected resources and limited disruption of affected services.
Executive ViewAI
HPE AOS-CX switch operating systems across all tracked versions are vulnerable to an authentication bypass allowing unauthenticated attackers with adjacent network access to modify configurations and disrupt services, with no public exploit identified at time of analysis. Organizations running these network infrastructure devices face risk of unauthorized access to critical equipment and potential service interruption.
Until a vendor patch is released, implement network-based mitigations: restrict management interface access to trusted administrative segments using firewall rules and VLAN isolation; disable unused management protocols (Telnet, HTTP); enforce strong authentication on active management paths; implement comprehensive logging and alerting for authentication attempts and configuration changes. Continuously monitor HPE advisory hpesbnw05134 for patch availability.
Threat Intelligence Overview
How this decision was reached
The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Authentication bypass attacks exploit flaws in the verification mechanisms that control access to systems and applications.
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EUVD-2026-69628
GHSA-hr8p-9qx4-wjg9
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
Exploit-DB