CVE-2025-26477: Dell Elastic Cloud Storage RCE Flaw

CVE-2025-26477 Overview

CVE-2025-26477 affects Dell Elastic Cloud Storage (ECS) version 3.8.1.4 and prior. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation [CWE-20] in the product. A low-privileged attacker with network access can exploit the flaw to achieve code execution on the affected system.

Dell published security advisory DSA-2025-097 to address this issue alongside other vulnerabilities affecting Dell ObjectScale 4.0. The flaw carries a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 and impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Critical Impact
Authenticated remote attackers can execute arbitrary code on Dell ECS object storage nodes, compromising stored data and the storage control plane.

Affected Products

Dell Elastic Cloud Storage (ECS) versions 3.8.1.4 and prior
Dell ObjectScale 4.0
Storage clusters running vulnerable ECS firmware

Discovery Timeline

2025-04-17 - CVE-2025-26477 published to NVD
2025-08-01 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-26477

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in input handling logic exposed by Dell ECS over the network. The product fails to properly validate attacker-supplied input before processing it. This validation gap allows a low-privileged authenticated user to influence execution flow on the storage platform.

Dell ECS is an object storage platform used for large-scale data repositories, backup targets, and cloud-native workloads. Successful exploitation produces code execution in the context of the ECS service, granting access to stored objects, metadata, and management interfaces. The attack does not require user interaction and can be triggered remotely over the network.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper input validation classified under [CWE-20]. The affected component accepts data from authenticated remote callers without enforcing sufficient type, length, or content constraints. Malformed or specially crafted input then reaches downstream logic that treats it as trusted, enabling arbitrary code execution.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is Network with Low attack complexity. An attacker needs Low privileges and no user interaction. Operators with basic ECS access, compromised service accounts, or stolen API credentials can submit crafted requests to vulnerable endpoints. Because object storage systems frequently expose APIs to broad internal networks and integration tools, the practical attack surface is large.

No public proof-of-concept exploit code is currently available, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. The EPSS probability is 0.323%.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-26477

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected child processes spawned by ECS service accounts or Java-based ECS components
Anomalous outbound network connections originating from ECS storage nodes
New or modified binaries, scripts, or cron entries on ECS hosts outside of patch windows
Unusual API request payloads containing oversized fields, command metacharacters, or encoded executables

Detection Strategies

Monitor ECS management and S3 API logs for malformed requests and repeated 4xx/5xx responses from a single authenticated principal
Baseline normal process trees on ECS nodes and alert on deviations such as shell processes, compilers, or network utilities being launched
Correlate authentication events with subsequent process and file system activity to detect post-authentication exploitation

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward ECS audit logs, host logs, and network telemetry to a centralized analytics platform for cross-source correlation
Track privileged account usage against Dell ECS clusters and flag activity from non-administrative service identities
Enable file integrity monitoring on ECS configuration directories and binaries

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-26477

Immediate Actions Required

Inventory all Dell ECS deployments and identify clusters running version 3.8.1.4 or earlier and Dell ObjectScale 4.0
Apply the fixes referenced in Dell Security Update DSA-2025-097 as soon as a maintenance window permits
Rotate credentials and API keys for any low-privileged ECS accounts that may have been exposed
Review recent ECS audit logs for indicators of exploitation prior to patching

Patch Information

Dell has issued remediation guidance in advisory DSA-2025-097. Administrators should consult the Dell Security Update DSA-2025-097 for fixed versions, upgrade paths, and release notes specific to ECS and ObjectScale.

Workarounds

Restrict network reachability to ECS management and API endpoints using firewalls, ACLs, or service mesh policies
Enforce least privilege on ECS accounts and remove unused service identities that could be leveraged by an attacker
Place ECS clusters on segmented management networks accessible only from jump hosts with multi-factor authentication
Increase logging verbosity and retention on ECS components until patching is complete

bash

# Configuration example: restrict ECS management API access at the network layer
# Replace 10.10.0.0/24 with your approved administrative subnet
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 4443 -s 10.10.0.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 4443 -j DROP