CVE-2026-73778Network attack vector

Administrative takeover via predictable default password

Published Sep 1, 2026 · Updated Sep 3, 2026

Authentication bypass in Hewlett Packard Enterprise AOS-CX allows remote attackers to gain full administrative control. Credential Manager treats a predictable factory-default password as valid authentication during initial setup. Exposure is limited to factory-default or post-ZTP devices before an administrator configures credentials, but successful access grants full device administration.

CVSS severity8.1
High
EPSS probability0.28%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Authentication bypass in Hewlett Packard Enterprise AOS-CX allows remote attackers to gain full administrative control. Credential Manager treats a predictable factory-default password as valid authentication during initial setup. Exposure is limited to factory-default or post-ZTP devices before an administrator configures credentials, but successful access grants full device administration.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-73778
Published
Sep 1, 2026
Updated
Sep 3, 2026
Vendor
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)
Product
AOS-CX
Classifications
CWE-798, T1078.001
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 1, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 3, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=10.10.0000 <=10.10.1180
  2. Affected versionversion=10.13.0000 <=10.13.1180
  3. Affected versionversion=10.16.0000 <=10.16.1051
  4. Affected versionversion=10.17.0000 <=10.17.1021
  5. Affected versionversion=10.18.0000 <=10.18.0001

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) · AOS-CXversion=10.10.0000 <=10.10.1180; version=10.13.0000 <=10.13.1180; version=10.16.0000 <=10.16.1051; version=10.17.0000 <=10.17.1021; version=10.18.0000 <=10.18.0001

Published CVSS scores

8.1Hewlett Packard EnterpriseCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-798Use of Hard-coded Credentials
T1078.001Valid Accounts: Default Accounts

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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