CVE-2026-24502: Dell Command vPro Privilege Escalation Flaw

CVE-2026-24502 Overview

CVE-2026-24502 is an Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerability affecting Dell Command | Intel vPro Out of Band software in versions prior to 4.7.0. This vulnerability allows a low-privileged attacker with local access to exploit insecure DLL search path configurations, potentially leading to elevation of privileges on affected systems.

Critical Impact
Local attackers with low privileges can escalate their privileges to gain elevated access on systems running vulnerable versions of Dell Command | Intel vPro Out of Band.

Affected Products

Dell Command | Intel vPro Out of Band versions prior to 4.7.0

Discovery Timeline

2026-03-03 - CVE CVE-2026-24502 published to NVD
2026-03-05 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-24502

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element), which occurs when an application searches for critical resources such as DLLs in directories that may be under the control of an attacker. When Dell Command | Intel vPro Out of Band loads required libraries, it does not properly validate or restrict the search path, allowing an attacker to place a malicious DLL in a location that the application will search before finding the legitimate library.

The local attack vector requires an attacker to have existing access to the target system, but only low-level privileges are needed to exploit the vulnerability. No user interaction is required for successful exploitation, and the impact affects confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the compromised system.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability lies in the application's handling of library search paths during execution. Dell Command | Intel vPro Out of Band fails to properly secure the DLL search order, allowing directories accessible to low-privileged users to be searched for required libraries. This creates an opportunity for DLL hijacking attacks where malicious code can be executed with the privileges of the affected application.

Attack Vector

An attacker with local access and low privileges can exploit this vulnerability through a DLL hijacking technique:

The attacker identifies a DLL that the vulnerable Dell Command | Intel vPro Out of Band application attempts to load
A malicious DLL with the same name is crafted containing exploit code
The malicious DLL is placed in a directory that appears earlier in the search path than the legitimate library location
When the application executes and attempts to load the library, it loads the malicious DLL instead
The attacker's code executes with elevated privileges, granting unauthorized access

The exploitation requires the attacker to have write access to a directory in the application's DLL search path. Since this is a local attack vector, remote exploitation is not possible without first gaining local access through other means.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-24502

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected DLL files appearing in application directories or directories in the system PATH
Unusual process execution from Dell Command | Intel vPro Out of Band with suspicious child processes
Creation of new DLL files in user-writable directories that intersect with the application's search path
Evidence of privilege escalation following execution of the Dell Command software

Detection Strategies

Monitor for DLL load events from Dell Command | Intel vPro Out of Band that reference non-standard library locations
Implement application whitelisting to detect unauthorized DLLs being loaded
Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to identify DLL hijacking patterns
Audit file creation events in directories commonly targeted for DLL hijacking attacks

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable Windows Security Event logging for process creation (Event ID 4688) with command line auditing
Monitor for file creation events in user-writable directories that could be used for DLL planting
Implement Sysmon logging with DLL load monitoring (Event ID 7) for the affected application
Set up alerts for privilege escalation events following Dell Command software execution

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-24502

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade Dell Command | Intel vPro Out of Band to version 4.7.0 or later immediately
Restrict write access to directories in the application's search path
Audit existing systems for any signs of exploitation before patching
Apply least privilege principles to limit local user access on affected systems

Patch Information

Dell has released version 4.7.0 of Dell Command | Intel vPro Out of Band to address this vulnerability. Organizations should apply this update as soon as possible. For detailed patch information and download links, refer to the Dell Security Advisory DSA-2026-106.

Workarounds

Until patching is possible, restrict local access to systems running the vulnerable software
Remove write permissions from directories in the application's DLL search path for non-administrative users
Consider temporarily disabling the Dell Command | Intel vPro Out of Band service if not critical to operations
Implement application control solutions to prevent unauthorized DLL execution