CVE-2026-23593 is a vulnerability identified in Hewlett Packard Enterprise's Aruba Networking Fabric Composer, specifically affecting version 7.0.0. The issue resides in the web-based management interface, which is designed to allow administrators to configure and monitor network fabric environments. The vulnerability permits an unauthenticated remote attacker to access and read certain system files located within the affected directory. This unauthorized file read capability arises due to insufficient access controls or improper validation of user requests in the management interface. The CVSS 3.1 score of 7.5 (high) reflects the fact that the attack vector is network-based (AV:N), requires no privileges (PR:N), and no user interaction (UI:N), making exploitation relatively straightforward. The impact vector indicates no confidentiality or integrity loss (C:N/I:N), but a significant availability impact (A:H), suggesting that exploitation may cause denial of service or system instability. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability poses a risk of exposing system files that could contain sensitive information such as configuration data, credentials, or system details. This exposure could facilitate further targeted attacks or lateral movement within a network. The lack of available patches at the time of disclosure increases the urgency for organizations to implement interim mitigations. Given the role of Aruba Networking Fabric Composer in managing network fabrics, exploitation could disrupt network operations or degrade service availability, impacting business continuity.

For European organizations, the vulnerability presents a risk primarily to network infrastructure availability and operational continuity. Organizations relying on HPE Aruba Networking Fabric Composer for fabric management could experience denial of service conditions if exploited, potentially disrupting critical network services. Although confidentiality and integrity impacts are not directly indicated, the ability to read system files may reveal sensitive configuration or credential information, increasing the risk of subsequent attacks such as privilege escalation or lateral movement. Industries with high dependency on network fabric orchestration—such as telecommunications, finance, healthcare, and government—may face operational disruptions and increased exposure to targeted attacks. The unmitigated vulnerability could also affect compliance with European data protection regulations if sensitive information is exposed. The lack of authentication requirement and remote exploitability heighten the threat level, especially for organizations with management interfaces exposed to less trusted networks or the internet. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the potential for future exploitation.

1. Immediately restrict access to the HPE Aruba Networking Fabric Composer management interface by implementing strict network segmentation and firewall rules, limiting access only to trusted administrative networks. 2. Employ VPNs or secure tunnels for remote management access to prevent unauthorized exposure of the interface. 3. Monitor network traffic and logs for unusual or unauthorized access attempts to the management interface, enabling early detection of exploitation attempts. 4. Disable or limit unnecessary services and interfaces on the Fabric Composer to reduce the attack surface. 5. Maintain an inventory of affected devices and prioritize patching once HPE releases an official update or security patch. 6. Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for management access where possible to add an additional layer of security, even though the vulnerability does not require authentication. 7. Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focused on network management interfaces to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities proactively. 8. Engage with HPE support and subscribe to security advisories to stay informed about updates and patches related to this vulnerability.