# CVE-2026-73461: Security Advisory 0163

> Authenticated users can bypass intended privilege restrictions on OpenConfig gRPC requests when AAA authorization is enabled, leading to unauthorized access.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.4 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 16 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-cppj-w9qw-f23c

## What is CVE-2026-73461?

CVE-2026-73461 is a critical missing authorization vulnerability in Arista Networks EOS, published on 16 Sep 2026. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

On affected EOS platforms with AAA-based gRPC authorization enabled for OpenConfig, gRPC requests of an authenticated user to OpenConfig may use the wrong privilege level, resulting in an authorization using the wrong AAA method list. This does not impact non-gRPC OpenConfig requests such as NETCONF.

Weakness: CWE-266 (Incorrect Privilege Assignment)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-73461?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-73461?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-73461 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-73461 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-73461 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-73461 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-73461 is a critical missing authorization vulnerability in Arista Networks EOS, published on 16 Sep 2026. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-73461 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Arista Networks EOS. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-73461/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-73461/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-73461
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-73461
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-73461

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-73461/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.