CVE-2025-38741: Dell Enterprise SONiC OS Auth Bypass Flaw

CVE-2025-38741 Overview

CVE-2025-38741 affects Dell Enterprise SONiC OS version 4.5.0. The flaw resides in the SSH implementation, which uses a hardcoded or improperly managed cryptographic key. An unauthenticated remote attacker reachable over the network can exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to SSH communications. The vulnerability maps to [CWE-321] Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key and [CWE-798] Use of Hard-coded Credentials. Dell published advisory DSA-2025-275 to address the issue across affected Enterprise SONiC distributions. The CVE was published to the National Vulnerability Database on August 4, 2025.

Critical Impact

An unauthenticated remote attacker can leverage the hardcoded SSH cryptographic key to access confidential management-plane communications on Dell Enterprise SONiC OS 4.5.0 switches.

Affected Products

• Dell Enterprise SONiC OS 4.5.0
• SSH service component within Dell Enterprise SONiC distribution
• Network switches running the affected SONiC build

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-08-04 - CVE-2025-38741 published to NVD
• 2026-01-14 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-38741

Vulnerability Analysis

Dell Enterprise SONiC OS 4.5.0 ships with a cryptographic key embedded in the SSH service. Because the key material is static and shared across deployments, any party who obtains it can decrypt or impersonate SSH sessions terminating on affected switches. The flaw is reachable across the network without authentication and requires no user interaction.

The weakness corresponds to two related CWE categories. [CWE-321] describes the use of a hard-coded cryptographic key, while [CWE-798] addresses hard-coded credentials embedded in product code or configuration. Both patterns produce the same outcome: attackers who extract the key from one image can target every device running the same firmware.

The impact centers on loss of confidentiality for management-plane traffic. Operators rely on SSH to administer SONiC-based data center switches, so compromise of this channel exposes configuration data, credentials transmitted during sessions, and operational telemetry.

Root Cause

The root cause is the inclusion of static cryptographic key material in the Dell Enterprise SONiC OS 4.5.0 SSH stack. Rather than generating unique keys at first boot or during provisioning, the affected build relies on a key that is consistent across installations, eliminating the cryptographic uniqueness that SSH requires for secure session establishment.

Attack Vector

An attacker requires only network reachability to the SSH service on a vulnerable switch. After obtaining the hardcoded key from a firmware image or other distribution channel, the attacker can perform man-in-the-middle interception against SSH sessions or otherwise undermine the trust model of the SSH transport layer. No credentials and no user interaction are required, and the attack complexity is low.

Since no verified public proof-of-concept exists at the time of writing, refer to the Dell Security Update DSA-2025-275 for vendor-supplied technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-38741

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected SSH sessions to management interfaces of Dell Enterprise SONiC OS 4.5.0 switches from unknown source addresses
• SSH host key fingerprints on affected devices that match values observed across multiple unrelated deployments
• Configuration changes or show command activity on switches outside of approved change windows

Detection Strategies

• Inventory all switches running Dell Enterprise SONiC OS and flag any device on version 4.5.0 for prioritized remediation
• Compare SSH host key fingerprints across the fleet to identify duplicates that indicate the hardcoded key is in use
• Monitor management VLANs for SSH connection attempts originating outside designated administrative networks

Monitoring Recommendations

• Forward SSH authentication logs from SONiC switches to a centralized SIEM for correlation and retention
• Alert on logins from source IP addresses that are not part of the approved jump host or bastion inventory
• Track session metadata, including duration and command execution patterns, to detect anomalous administrative behavior

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-38741

Immediate Actions Required

• Apply the fixed Dell Enterprise SONiC OS release identified in Dell Security Update DSA-2025-275
• Regenerate SSH host keys on every affected switch after upgrading to ensure no static key material remains
• Restrict SSH management access to dedicated out-of-band networks and approved bastion hosts only

Patch Information

Dell has issued DSA-2025-275 to resolve this and related Dell Enterprise SONiC distribution issues. Administrators should consult the advisory for the exact fixed version corresponding to their deployed train and follow Dell's upgrade procedure for SONiC-based switches.

Workarounds

• Place affected switches behind network access control lists that permit SSH only from a small set of trusted management endpoints until patching is complete
• Enforce SSH host key pinning on management jump hosts to detect anomalous key presentation during administrative sessions
• Disable SSH on the data plane and restrict the service to a dedicated management VRF where feasible

# Example: restrict SSH access on a SONiC switch using control plane ACLs
# Consult Dell SONiC documentation for syntax specific to your release
sudo config acl add table SSH_ONLY L3 -p SNMP -s ingress
sudo config acl add rule SSH_ONLY RULE_1 --priority 100 \
     --action ACCEPT --protocol tcp --dst-port 22 \
     --src-ip 10.10.10.0/24
sudo config acl add rule SSH_ONLY DEFAULT_DENY --priority 10 --action DROP