[gmuloc]

When SA178 finds encrypted SNMPv3 credentials on an affected release with its applicable persistent SWIX hotfix, report Mitigated instead of Not Affected. Retain the hotfix as mitigation evidence and the encrypted credential syntax as supporting context, and provide fixed-release guidance. ANTA still reports Success.

This PR targets the branch behind aristanetworks#1856.

Allow MitigatedResult.context to carry existing finding evidence. Keep the shared projector unchanged. Preserve the general encrypted-credentials fallback, immediate Not Affected results for absent prerequisites, and existing legacy-credential remediation. Consolidate the legacy result construction without return-count lint suppressions.

Credentials	EOS version	Hotfix	Assessment	Remediation
Legacy	Affected	Effective and applicable	Affected	Convert credentials
Legacy	Affected	Absent or ineffective	Affected	Upgrade, then convert credentials
Legacy	Affected	Not applicable	Affected	Upgrade, then convert credentials
Legacy	Fixed	Any; ignored	Affected	Convert credentials
Encrypted	Affected	Effective and applicable	Mitigated	Fixed-release upgrade guidance
Encrypted	Affected	Absent or ineffective	Not Affected	None
Encrypted	Affected	Not applicable	Not Affected	None
Encrypted	Fixed	Any; ignored	Not Affected	None
Not configured, or no authentication keys	Any, including unknown	Any, including unknown	Not Affected	None

An effective applicable hotfix must be boot-persistent and match one of the exact eligible releases. Encrypted inputs without a confirmed applicable effective hotfix retain the existing fallback; the table does not assert that EOS normally produces those combinations. Otherwise, unavailable facts required to decide exposure produce Error.

Validation:

• Focused advisory, finding, and docstring tests: 788 passed.
• Changed-file and all-files pre-commit: all hooks passed.
• Strict documentation build: no issues found.
• A 10-case assessment and projection probe verified the credential, release, hotfix, and remediation combinations.