CVE-2026-73749: HPE ArubaOS-CX RCE

HPE has disclosed multiple flaws in a daemon of ArubaOS-CX, the operating system running on Aruba's CX enterprise switches, where the service improperly processes malformed input (CWE-284, improper access control). An unauthenticated remote attacker can trigger the issue by sending specially crafted packets to the affected service, and successful exploitation yields remote code execution with elevated privileges on the switch. The 9.8 CVSS score reflects network-based attack vectors requiring no authentication, privileges, or user interaction, with high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Organizations running ArubaOS-CX switches are affected; the specific vulnerable and fixed firmware versions are not stated in the available data and must be taken from HPE's advisory. There is no known public proof-of-concept, the flaw is not in CISA's KEV, and EPSS estimates only a 0.5% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, indicating no known exploitation at this time.

Do: Monitor HPE's security advisory for the list of affected AOS-CX releases and fixed firmware, then prioritize patching switches whose management services are reachable from untrusted networks. Until fixed builds are available, reduce exposure by placing switch management on an out-of-band management network or restricting the service with ACLs or firewall rules. Although no public PoC or in-the-wild exploitation is known, the unauthenticated nature and critical severity on core network infrastructure warrant prompt patching once firmware is published.