CVE-2026-22762: Dell Avamar Path Traversal Vulnerability

CVE-2026-22762 Overview

Dell Avamar Server and Avamar Virtual Edition contain an Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory (Path Traversal) vulnerability in the Security component. This vulnerability affects versions prior to 19.10 SP1 with CHF338912. A high privileged attacker with remote access could potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to arbitrary file deletion on affected systems.

Critical Impact

Successful exploitation allows authenticated attackers with elevated privileges to delete arbitrary files on the target system, potentially disrupting backup operations and compromising data integrity.

Affected Products

• Dell Avamar Server versions prior to 19.10 SP1 with CHF338912
• Dell Avamar Virtual Edition versions prior to 19.10 SP1 with CHF338912

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-17 - CVE-2026-22762 published to NVD
• 2026-02-18 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-22762

Vulnerability Analysis

This path traversal vulnerability (CWE-22) exists within the Security component of Dell Avamar Server and Avamar Virtual Edition. The vulnerability arises from improper validation of user-supplied path input, allowing an authenticated attacker with high privileges to manipulate file paths and access files outside the intended directory structure.

The attack requires network access and high-level privileges on the target system. While the attack complexity is low and requires no user interaction, the privilege requirements limit the pool of potential attackers. The impact focuses primarily on integrity and availability rather than confidentiality, as the vulnerability enables arbitrary file deletion rather than information disclosure.

Root Cause

The root cause is insufficient input validation in the Security component's file path handling routines. The application fails to properly sanitize path traversal sequences such as ../ or encoded variants, allowing attackers to escape the restricted directory and target files elsewhere on the filesystem. This represents a classic CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory) weakness.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, requiring an authenticated session with high privileges. An attacker would craft malicious requests containing path traversal sequences targeting the vulnerable Security component. By injecting directory traversal characters into file path parameters, the attacker can reference and delete files outside the intended directory scope.

The vulnerability mechanism involves manipulating path parameters to traverse directory structures. Attackers typically use sequences like ../ or URL-encoded equivalents (%2e%2e%2f) to navigate to parent directories and access files that should be restricted. For detailed technical information, refer to the Dell Security Update Advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-22762

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected file deletions in system directories or critical application paths
• Log entries showing access attempts with path traversal patterns such as ../ or encoded variants
• Anomalous activity from high-privileged accounts accessing the Security component
• Missing configuration files or backup-related data that should be present

Detection Strategies

• Monitor file system activity for deletion events in sensitive directories outside normal backup operations
• Implement log analysis rules to detect path traversal patterns in HTTP requests and API calls
• Configure SIEM alerts for anomalous privileged account behavior targeting the Avamar Security component
• Review audit logs for repeated failed access attempts that may indicate exploitation attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable comprehensive audit logging on Dell Avamar Server instances
• Configure file integrity monitoring (FIM) for critical system and application directories
• Implement network traffic analysis to detect suspicious requests to the Avamar management interface
• Review privileged account activity logs regularly for signs of unauthorized file operations

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-22762

Immediate Actions Required

• Update Dell Avamar Server and Avamar Virtual Edition to version 19.10 SP1 with hotfix CHF338912 or later
• Review and audit privileged account access to Avamar systems
• Implement network segmentation to limit access to Avamar management interfaces
• Enable enhanced logging to detect potential exploitation attempts

Patch Information

Dell has released a security update addressing this vulnerability. Affected organizations should apply version 19.10 SP1 with cumulative hotfix CHF338912 to remediate the path traversal vulnerability. The patch information and download instructions are available in the Dell Security Update Advisory.

Workarounds

• Restrict network access to Avamar management interfaces to trusted IP ranges only
• Implement additional network-level access controls and firewall rules to limit exposure
• Review and reduce the number of accounts with high-privilege access to Avamar systems
• Consider implementing a web application firewall (WAF) with path traversal detection rules as a defense-in-depth measure

# Example firewall configuration to restrict Avamar management access
# Limit access to management interface to trusted admin network only
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -s 10.0.1.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -j DROP