Full Report
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has patched a critical vulnerability in the ArubaOS-CX network operating system that could lead to remote code execution. [...]
Analysis Summary
# Vulnerability: Critical Buffer Overflow in HPE ArubaOS-CX
## CVE Details
- **CVE ID:** CVE-2026-73749 (Primary focus); also addresses CVE-2026-73750 through CVE-2026-73782
- **CVSS Score:** 9.8 (Critical)
- **CWE:** CWE-120 (Buffer Overflow) / CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)
## Affected Systems
- **Products:** HPE ArubaOS-CX network operating system (used in enterprise-grade network switches).
- **Versions:**
- 10.18.0001
- 10.17.1021 and earlier
- 10.16.1051 and earlier
- 10.13.1180 and earlier
- 10.10.1180 and earlier
- **Configurations:** Systems running affected daemon processes that process external network packets.
## Vulnerability Description
CVE-2026-73749 is a critical buffer overflow vulnerability residing in a specific daemon of the ArubaOS-CX operating system. The flaw stems from improper processing of malformed input. An unauthenticated attacker can exploit this by sending specially crafted packets to the vulnerable service, leading to memory corruption and subsequent remote code execution (RCE) with elevated privileges.
## Exploitation
- **Status:** Not exploited in the wild (at time of publication).
- **PoC Availability:** None currently available.
- **Complexity:** Low.
- **Attack Vector:** Network (Remote).
## Impact
- **Confidentiality:** Total (Full access to the device and traffic).
- **Integrity:** Total (Ability to modify system configurations and firmware).
- **Availability:** Total (Ability to crash the daemon or the entire switch).
## Remediation
### Patches
HPE strongly encourages upgrading to the following fixed versions:
- **10.18.x:** Upgrade to 10.18.1002 or later.
- **10.17.x:** Upgrade to 10.17.1030 or later.
- **10.16.x:** Upgrade to 10.16.1060 or later.
- **10.13.x:** Upgrade to 10.13.1190 or later.
- **10.10.x:** Upgrade to 10.10.1181 or later (Note: This version is EOM and only receives critical security fixes).
### Workarounds
No specific configuration workarounds were provided in the article; immediate patching is the primary recommended mitigation.
## Detection
- **Indicators of Compromise:** Unusual crashes of system daemons, unexpected administrative logins, or unauthorized configuration changes.
- **Detection Methods and Tools:** Monitor network traffic for malformed packets targeting switch management ports and audit system logs for daemon instability.
## References
- **Vendor Advisory:** [https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=hpesbnw05134en_us&docLocale=en_US](https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=hpesbnw05134en_us&docLocale=en_US)
- **News Source:** [https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/hpe-patches-critical-arubaos-cx-remote-code-execution-flaw/](https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/hpe-patches-critical-arubaos-cx-remote-code-execution-flaw/)