ExtremeXOS (EXOS) uses a challenge-response mechanism to authorize access to the privileged debug-mode function. The challenge value is generated using an insufficiently random source, which under certain conditions may allow an attacker to predict the expected response and activate debug-mode without authorization. Depending on device configuration and version, this may enable escalation to root-level access and persistent modification of the device software stack. Exploitation requires either a valid low-privilege account on the device (remote scenario) or physical serial console access (local scenario). This vulnerability is distinct from CVE-2017-14329, which addressed a different issue involving Python script privileges.
Extreme would like to thank Hadrien Barral (Université Gustave Eiffel) and Georges-Axel Jaloyan (French Ministry of the Interior) for responsible disclosure of their findings.
"}],"value":"ExtremeXOS (EXOS) uses a challenge-response mechanism to authorize access to the privileged debug-mode function. The challenge value is generated using an insufficiently random source, which under certain conditions may allow an attacker to predict the expected response and activate debug-mode without authorization. Depending on device configuration and version, this may enable escalation to root-level access and persistent modification of the device software stack. Exploitation requires either a valid low-privilege account on the device (remote scenario) or physical serial console access (local scenario). This vulnerability is distinct from CVE-2017-14329, which addressed a different issue involving Python script privileges.\n\n\n\nExtreme would like to thank Hadrien Barral (Université Gustave Eiffel) and Georges-Axel Jaloyan (French Ministry of the Interior) for responsible disclosure of their findings."}],"metrics":[{"cvssV4_0":{"Automatable":"NOT_DEFINED","Recovery":"NOT_DEFINED","Safety":"NOT_DEFINED","attackComplexity":"LOW","attackRequirements":"NONE","attackVector":"NETWORK","baseScore":8.7,"baseSeverity":"HIGH","exploitMaturity":"NOT_DEFINED","privilegesRequired":"LOW","providerUrgency":"NOT_DEFINED","subAvailabilityImpact":"NONE","subConfidentialityImpact":"NONE","subIntegrityImpact":"NONE","userInteraction":"NONE","valueDensity":"NOT_DEFINED","vectorString":"CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N","version":"4.0","vulnAvailabilityImpact":"HIGH","vulnConfidentialityImpact":"HIGH","vulnIntegrityImpact":"HIGH","vulnerabilityResponseEffort":"NOT_DEFINED"},"format":"CVSS","scenarios":[{"lang":"en","value":"GENERAL"}]}],"problemTypes":[{"descriptions":[{"cweId":"CWE-338","description":"CWE-338: Use of Cryptographically Weak Pseudo-Random Number Generator (PRNG)","lang":"en","type":"CWE"}]}],"providerMetadata":{"dateUpdated":"2026-07-20T19:20:47.552Z","orgId":"1c053176-eef3-4d6a-ae0b-24728c86587b","shortName":"ExtremeNetworks"},"references":[{"name":"Extreme Networks Product Security","tags":["vendor-advisory"],"url":"https://www.extremenetworks.com/support/policies/product-security"}],"solutions":[{"lang":"en","supportingMedia":[{"base64":false,"type":"text/html","value":"Extreme Networks has released fixed versions of Switch Engine (EXOS) that address this vulnerability. Customers should upgrade to one of the following releases or later: 31.7.4, 32.7.4.15, 33.1.100, or 33.7.1.
"}],"value":"Extreme Networks has released fixed versions of Switch Engine (EXOS) that address this vulnerability. Customers should upgrade to one of the following releases or later: 31.7.4, 32.7.4.15, 33.1.100, or 33.7.1."}],"source":{"advisory":"SA-2026-087","discovery":"EXTERNAL"},"title":"ExtremeXOS Debug-Mode Privilege Escalation via Weak PRNG","workarounds":[{"lang":"en","supportingMedia":[{"base64":false,"type":"text/html","value":"Where immediate upgrade is not feasible, customers should: (1) restrict CLI access to trusted administrators only; (2) enforce strong authentication and rotate any default credentials; (3) restrict physical access to serial console ports; and (4) monitor device logs for unexpected debug-mode activation attempts.
"}],"value":"Where immediate upgrade is not feasible, customers should: (1) restrict CLI access to trusted administrators only; (2) enforce strong authentication and rotate any default credentials; (3) restrict physical access to serial console ports; and (4) monitor device logs for unexpected debug-mode activation attempts."}],"x_generator":{"engine":"Vulnogram 1.0.2"}}},"cveMetadata":{"assignerOrgId":"1c053176-eef3-4d6a-ae0b-24728c86587b","assignerShortName":"ExtremeNetworks","cveId":"CVE-2026-8169","datePublished":"2026-07-20T17:33:05.699Z","dateReserved":"2026-05-08T12:59:08.619Z","dateUpdated":"2026-07-20T19:20:47.552Z","state":"PUBLISHED"},"dataType":"CVE_RECORD","dataVersion":"5.2"},"nvd":{"publishedDate":"2026-07-20 18:16:56","lastModifiedDate":"2026-07-20 20:16:46","problem_types":["CWE-338","CWE-338 CWE-338: Use of Cryptographically Weak Pseudo-Random Number Generator (PRNG)"],"metrics":{"cvssMetricV40":[{"source":"1c053176-eef3-4d6a-ae0b-24728c86587b","type":"Secondary","cvssData":{"version":"4.0","vectorString":"CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X","baseScore":8.7,"baseSeverity":"HIGH","attackVector":"NETWORK","attackComplexity":"LOW","attackRequirements":"NONE","privilegesRequired":"LOW","userInteraction":"NONE","vulnConfidentialityImpact":"HIGH","vulnIntegrityImpact":"HIGH","vulnAvailabilityImpact":"HIGH","subConfidentialityImpact":"NONE","subIntegrityImpact":"NONE","subAvailabilityImpact":"NONE","exploitMaturity":"NOT_DEFINED","confidentialityRequirement":"NOT_DEFINED","integrityRequirement":"NOT_DEFINED","availabilityRequirement":"NOT_DEFINED","modifiedAttackVector":"NOT_DEFINED","modifiedAttackComplexity":"NOT_DEFINED","modifiedAttackRequirements":"NOT_DEFINED","modifiedPrivilegesRequired":"NOT_DEFINED","modifiedUserInteraction":"NOT_DEFINED","modifiedVulnConfidentialityImpact":"NOT_DEFINED","modifiedVulnIntegrityImpact":"NOT_DEFINED","modifiedVulnAvailabilityImpact":"NOT_DEFINED","modifiedSubConfidentialityImpact":"NOT_DEFINED","modifiedSubIntegrityImpact":"NOT_DEFINED","modifiedSubAvailabilityImpact":"NOT_DEFINED","Safety":"NOT_DEFINED","Automatable":"NOT_DEFINED","Recovery":"NOT_DEFINED","valueDensity":"NOT_DEFINED","vulnerabilityResponseEffort":"NOT_DEFINED","providerUrgency":"NOT_DEFINED"}}],"ssvcV203":[{"source":"134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0","ssvcData":{"timestamp":"2026-07-20T18:26:07.254983Z","id":"CVE-2026-8169","options":[{"exploitation":"none"},{"automatable":"no"},{"technicalImpact":"total"}],"role":"CISA Coordinator","version":"2.0.3"}}]},"configurations":[]},"legacy_mitre":{"record":{"CveYear":"2026","CveId":"8169","Ordinal":"1","Title":"ExtremeXOS Debug-Mode Privilege Escalation via Weak PRNG","CVE":"CVE-2026-8169","Year":"2026"},"notes":[{"CveYear":"2026","CveId":"8169","Ordinal":"1","NoteData":"ExtremeXOS (EXOS) uses a challenge-response mechanism to authorize access to the privileged debug-mode function. The challenge value is generated using an insufficiently random source, which under certain conditions may allow an attacker to predict the expected response and activate debug-mode without authorization. Depending on device configuration and version, this may enable escalation to root-level access and persistent modification of the device software stack. Exploitation requires either a valid low-privilege account on the device (remote scenario) or physical serial console access (local scenario). This vulnerability is distinct from CVE-2017-14329, which addressed a different issue involving Python script privileges.\n\n\n\nExtreme would like to thank Hadrien Barral (Université Gustave Eiffel) and Georges-Axel Jaloyan (French Ministry of the Interior) for responsible disclosure of their findings.","Type":"Description","Title":"ExtremeXOS Debug-Mode Privilege Escalation via Weak PRNG"}]}}}