CVE-2025-27686 Overview
CVE-2025-27686 is an LDAP Injection vulnerability affecting Dell Unisphere for PowerMax and Dell PowerMax. The flaw stems from improper neutralization of special elements used in Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) queries [CWE-90]. A high-privileged attacker with remote network access can exploit this weakness to perform script injection against the affected management interface. Dell disclosed the issue in security advisory DSA-2025-111 and released fixed builds for both product families.
Critical Impact
An authenticated, high-privileged remote attacker can inject crafted LDAP query elements to alter directory operations and trigger script injection within Unisphere for PowerMax.
Affected Products
- Dell Unisphere for PowerMax versions prior to 10.2.0.9
- Dell PowerMax versions prior to 9.2.4.15
- Dell Unisphere for PowerMax Virtual Appliance (per DSA-2025-111)
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-04-07 - CVE-2025-27686 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-27686
Vulnerability Analysis
Dell Unisphere for PowerMax provides centralized management for PowerMax storage arrays and integrates with directory services through LDAP. The affected code path builds LDAP query strings using attacker-influenced input without adequately escaping LDAP metacharacters such as *, (, ), \, and NUL. This allows a high-privileged authenticated user to alter the structure of directory queries submitted by the appliance.
Because the vulnerability is categorized as LDAP Injection leading to script injection, an attacker can influence values that the management interface later renders or evaluates. The result is unauthorized modification of directory query behavior and injection of script content into the Unisphere workflow. Exploitation requires network reachability to the management plane and existing high-privilege credentials, which limits mass exploitation but remains relevant for insider-threat and post-compromise scenarios.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing or insufficient neutralization of LDAP special characters before user-controlled data is concatenated into an LDAP filter. The application trusts input from an authenticated administrative context and forwards it to the LDAP query builder. Without proper encoding, adversary-controlled tokens change the query semantics and can produce script fragments that reach downstream renderers.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires network access to the Unisphere for PowerMax management interface and authenticated high-privilege credentials. The attacker submits crafted values through a management function that constructs an LDAP query, embedding filter metacharacters and script payloads. The malicious content is then processed by the LDAP subsystem and reflected into contexts where script execution or unauthorized directory operations occur. No user interaction is required beyond the attacker's authenticated session.
No public proof-of-concept exploit code, ExploitDB entry, or CISA KEV listing exists for CVE-2025-27686 at the time of publication. Refer to the Dell Security Update DSA-2025-111 for vendor technical detail.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-27686
Indicators of Compromise
- LDAP query strings containing unexpected metacharacters such as *)(uid=*, )(|(objectClass=*, or embedded <script> tokens sourced from Unisphere for PowerMax logs.
- Directory server logs showing anomalous filter structures originating from the Unisphere management host.
- Unexpected administrative sessions to Unisphere for PowerMax preceding malformed LDAP requests.
Detection Strategies
- Enable verbose LDAP client logging on Unisphere for PowerMax and correlate query filters against a baseline of legitimate administrative operations.
- Alert on responses from the directory server that indicate malformed or overly broad filters submitted by the appliance service account.
- Monitor authenticated administrative activity on Unisphere for PowerMax for input values containing LDAP or HTML metacharacters.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Forward Unisphere for PowerMax audit logs and LDAP server logs to a centralized analytics platform for retention and correlation.
- Track version and patch level of every Unisphere for PowerMax instance against the fixed builds 10.2.0.9 and PowerMax 9.2.4.15.
- Review high-privilege account usage on the management plane and flag logins from unexpected sources or outside change windows.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-27686
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade Dell Unisphere for PowerMax to version 10.2.0.9 or later.
- Upgrade Dell PowerMax to version 9.2.4.15 or later.
- Restrict network access to the Unisphere for PowerMax management interface to trusted administrative networks only.
- Audit accounts that hold high privileges on Unisphere and rotate credentials suspected of exposure.
Patch Information
Dell addressed CVE-2025-27686 in advisory DSA-2025-111. Fixed releases are Dell Unisphere for PowerMax 10.2.0.9 and Dell PowerMax 9.2.4.15. Customers should follow the upgrade guidance in the Dell Security Update DSA-2025-111 advisory, which covers PowerMaxOS, PowerMax eManagement, Unisphere for PowerMax, the Unisphere for PowerMax Virtual Appliance, Unisphere 360, Solutions Enabler, and the Solutions Enabler Virtual Appliance.
Workarounds
- Limit administrative access to Unisphere for PowerMax using network segmentation, firewall rules, and jump hosts until patches are deployed.
- Enforce multi-factor authentication and least-privilege role assignments for all Unisphere administrative accounts.
- Disable or tightly control LDAP-integrated features on affected appliances where operationally feasible pending upgrade.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
