Week 11 – Aruba AOS-CX: Admin Access Without Login
09 – 15 Mar 2026
Hewlett Packard Enterprise has published an urgent security advisory addressing a critical vulnerability (CVE-2026-23813), this our new CVE of the Week.
The Aruba Networking AOS-CX operating system used on CX-series campus and data center switches. This flaw is particularly concerning for enterprise environments because it allows unauthenticated attackers to bypass authentication controls — and in some cases reset the admin password on affected switches.
- It resides in the web-based management interface of Aruba AOS-CX switches.
- An attacker with no credentials and no user interaction can exploit it remotely over the network.
- Exploitation could lead to unauthorized administrative access, complete control over switch configurations, and downstream compromise of core network infrastructure.
- The flaw carries an extremely high severity rating — CVSS 9.8/10 — reflecting its potential impact on confidentiality, integrity and availability.
Network switches are foundational elements of the enterprise environment. They enforce segmentation, carry critical traffic, and serve as control points between segments like datacenter, campus, and DMZ. Losing control over these devices can result in:
- Unauthorized network configuration changes
- Exposure of internal network topology
- Interception or manipulation of traffic flows
- Lateral movement opportunities for attackers
Even if exploit code hasn’t been seen in the wild yet, the vulnerability’s characteristics make it an attractive target for opportunistic attackers if left unpatched.
Apply the latest security updates for AOS-CX switches as soon as possible!
- If immediate patching isn’t feasible, implement interim mitigations such as:
- Isolating management interfaces on dedicated VLANs or segments
- Restricting access to trusted hosts via Layer-3 controls or ACLs
- Disabling unnecessary HTTP(S) interfaces
- Enforcing detailed logging/monitoring of management access attempts
- pplying control-plane ACLs to REST/HTTPS management endpoints
These steps help reduce attack exposure while you coordinate timely updates.
https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=hpesbnw05027en_us&docLocale=en_US
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