Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessReach exposed Instant ON AP interface
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DeliverySend request with malicious format specifiers
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ExploitTrigger uncontrolled format string parsing
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ExecutionCorrupt memory write primitive
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ImpactExecute arbitrary commands on host or crash service
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A05:2025 - Injection
ASVS 5.0
V1 - Encoding and Sanitization Format string safety
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| Exploitation Conditions | Exploitation requires only network reachability to the affected interface of an HPE Networking Instant ON access point running firmware ≤3.4.1.0; per CVSS PR:N/UI:N/AC:L it is unauthenticated, needs no user interaction, and works against default configurations. The primary limiting factor is network exposure of the vulnerable AP interface - deployments where that management/service interface is not reachable from an attacker-controlled segment are not exposed. The exact vulnerable interface/service is not named in the advisory description, so network segmentation/filtering of the AP interface and confirming patched firmware are the key mitigations. |
| Impact | This is a genuine high-priority issue, not merely a high-CVSS-but-low-real-risk finding. The vendor-supplied CVSS vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, 9.8) describes the most dangerous class of network flaw: remote, unauthenticated, low-complexity, no user interaction, with full CIA impact leading to arbitrary command execution on the underlying host of HPE Networking Instant ON access points. The description confirms an uncontrolled format string reachable on an exposed AP interface, a well-understood and reliably weaponizable bug class. Signal comparison: EPSS is not provided in the input; KEV status is not listed (no evidence of confirmed active exploitation); and no public POC is referenced - so all exploitation-maturity signals are currently absent. However, absence of EPSS/KEV/POC does not lower the intrinsic risk here: the bug is vendor-confirmed (reported by HPE with an official advisory), a patch boundary is defined (≤3.4.1.0 affected), and format-string-to-RCE on unauthenticated network-facing embedded devices is historically attractive to attackers and botnets. No signals conflict with the CVSS assessment; description and vector are mutually consistent. Recommend treating as urgent for any exposed Instant ON deployment pending confirmation of the exact fixed version from the HPE advisory. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker who can reach the network-facing management/service interface of an HPE Networking Instant ON access point sends a crafted request containing attacker-controlled format specifiers to the vulnerable parser, corrupting memory to either crash the process (DoS) or redirect execution to run arbitrary commands as the host process. No authentication or user interaction is required. No public exploit code is referenced at time of analysis, but format-string-to-RCE is a reliably exploitable pattern on such devices. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Sep 29, 2026
Unauthenticated remote command execution is possible on HPE Networking Instant On access points running firmware version 3.4.1.0 and earlier, due to uncontrolled format string handling in an exposed interface of the device. Per the CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, base 9.8), an attacker who can reach that interface over the network needs no credentials and no user interaction, and successful exploitation can run arbitrary commands on the underlying host, causing denial of service or full compromise. No public exploit code has been identified at time of analysis and the issue is not listed as confirmed actively exploited (CISA KEV), but the low attack complexity and default-configuration reachability make it a genuine high-priority exposure for any Instant On AP whose vulnerable interface is accessible from an untrusted segment.
RemediationAI
Apply the fixed Instant On firmware release published in HPE security advisory hpesbnw05150en_us (https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=hpesbnw05150en_us&docLocale=en_US); the advisory reference is provided without an explicit fixed version string in the available data, so confirm the exact patched firmware number from the HPE document rather than assuming any version above 3.4.1.0 is sufficient. Until upgraded, the highest-value control is removing network reachability to the affected AP interface: place Instant On APs on a dedicated management VLAN, block inbound access to AP management/service ports from user, guest, and internet-facing segments, and explicitly deny any NAT or firewall forwarding rule that publishes an AP interface externally. Restricting the AP's own wireless clients and guest networks from reaching the management plane also reduces the attack surface, at the cost of some administrative convenience for troubleshooting. Where the vulnerable service cannot be fully segmented, monitor AP and upstream switch logs for anomalous command execution or unexpected reboots and treat any AP that has been reachable from untrusted networks as potentially compromised, requiring a factory reset and re-provisioning after patching. Note that firmware downgrades and rollback to versions ≤3.4.1.0 reintroduce the vulnerability, so configuration backups taken before the fix should not be used to restore older firmware.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 1 package in euvd
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Technical ContextAI · show details
The root cause is an uncontrolled format string condition (the class described in CWE-134) in one of the network-facing interfaces of HPE Networking Instant On access points. Format string bugs arise when attacker-supplied data is passed as the format argument to a printf-family function rather than as a plain string argument; the attacker can then use conversion specifiers such as %n and %s to read from and write to arbitrary memory addresses, which typically escalates to control-flow hijacking and arbitrary command execution on the underlying host. Because the affected component processes input from the network before any authentication check, the vulnerable code path is reachable unauthenticated, and the CVSS scope is unchanged (S:U) with high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact. The specific interface/service is not named in the vendor documentation, so defenders must treat the entire management and service surface of the AP as potentially affected. The CPE string cpe:2.3:a:hewlett_packard_enterprise_(hpe):instant_on:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* does not version-qualify, so version scoping relies on the advisory data, which caps affected firmware at 3.4.1.0 (tracked in ENISA EUVD as EUVD-2026-89341).
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Severity by source
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Unauthenticated network-reachable format string with no user interaction yields AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N, and RCE on the host gives full C:H/I:H/A:H within the same component (S:U).
Primary rating from Vendor (hpe).
CVSS VectorVendor: hpe
DescriptionCVE.org
Uncontrolled Format string vulnerabilities exist in the affected interface of HPE Networking Instant ON APs that could allow an unauthenticated remote attacker to run arbitrary commands on the underlying host. Successful exploitation could result in a Denial-of-service or potential remote code execution.
Executive ViewAI
HPE Networking Instant On access points running firmware 3.4.1.0 and earlier contain an unauthenticated remote command execution flaw (CVE-2026-76722, CVSS 9.8) that allows anyone able to reach the device's exposed interface to run arbitrary commands without credentials or user interaction. Because these APs typically sit on the network edge in default configurations, a single reachable unit could serve as an entry point to the broader corporate network or be disabled outright, disrupting wireless connectivity for the business units that depend on it. No vendor-released patch has been identified and no public exploit code exists at time of analysis, but the low attack complexity means leadership should treat this as a near-term exposure requiring containment action rather than routine patching.
No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis. Interim mitigations: isolate affected Instant On APs on a dedicated management VLAN, block access to the exposed interface from untrusted and guest networks at the firewall, disable non-essential remote management exposure, restrict administrative access to trusted management hosts, and enable logging and alerting on the APs and their upstream infrastructure to detect exploitation attempts. No public exploit code exists at time of analysis and the issue is not confirmed actively exploited (CISA KEV).
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
Remote Code Execution represents the critical moment when an attacker successfully runs arbitrary code on a target system without physical access.
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EUVD-2026-89341
GHSA-6rfv-6396-m883
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
Exploit-DB