CVE-2026-78490 Overview
CVE-2026-78490 affects Dell Secure Connect Gateway (SCG) 5.0 Appliance versions prior to 5.36.00.16 and Dell SCG 5.0 Application versions prior to 5.36.00.00. The vulnerability is an Improper Restriction of Excessive Authentication Attempts flaw [CWE-307]. An unauthenticated attacker with network access can exploit this weakness to achieve client-side request forgery against the gateway. Dell published the fix in advisory DSA-2026-382.
Critical Impact
Remote unauthenticated attackers can abuse the missing authentication throttling in Dell Secure Connect Gateway to conduct client-side request forgery, exposing sensitive gateway data.
Affected Products
- Dell Secure Connect Gateway 5.0 Appliance versions prior to 5.36.00.16
- Dell Secure Connect Gateway 5.0 Application versions prior to 5.36.00.00
- Dell Secure Connect Gateway Virtual Edition (per Dell advisory DSA-2026-382)
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-09-09 - CVE CVE-2026-78490 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
- 2026-09-09 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-78490
Vulnerability Analysis
Dell Secure Connect Gateway is the remote support and telemetry channel used to connect Dell enterprise infrastructure to Dell support services. The affected product versions do not properly restrict repeated authentication attempts against the gateway's exposed interfaces. This omission allows a network-based attacker to interact with authentication endpoints without lockout or rate-limiting controls. The confidentiality impact is high, while integrity and availability are not directly affected.
Root Cause
The root cause is a missing or insufficient control that enforces excessive authentication attempt restrictions [CWE-307]. Authentication logic in SCG does not track and block abusive attempt patterns from the same source. In combination with weak session and request-origin validation, the flaw enables client-side request forgery conditions where crafted requests can be replayed or coerced against the gateway.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires only network access to the SCG management interface. No prior authentication, elevated privileges, or user interaction is required. An attacker can automate authentication attempts and craft requests that trigger the client-side request forgery condition to disclose sensitive gateway information. Because SCG typically sits inside management networks with access to Dell infrastructure inventory, exposure of authentication flows increases downstream risk.
No public proof-of-concept or exploit code has been published for CVE-2026-78490. Refer to the Dell Security Update DSA-2026-382 for vendor technical detail.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-78490
Indicators of Compromise
- Repeated failed authentication attempts to SCG endpoints originating from a single source or a small cluster of sources within short intervals.
- Unexpected outbound requests or callbacks initiated by SCG administrative sessions.
- Access to SCG management URLs from non-administrator workstations or unusual geographic locations.
Detection Strategies
- Enable verbose authentication logging on the SCG appliance and forward logs to a central SIEM for correlation.
- Create detections that alert on more than a defined threshold of failed logins per source IP or per account within a rolling window.
- Alert on SCG-originated HTTP requests to unexpected external hosts, which may indicate forged client-side requests.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Continuously monitor the SCG management interface for anomalous authentication rates and session anomalies.
- Baseline normal administrator source IPs and flag deviations for investigation.
- Track version and patch state of every SCG appliance and application to confirm remediation coverage.
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-78490
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade Dell SCG 5.0 Appliance to version 5.36.00.16 or later and Dell SCG 5.0 Application to 5.36.00.00 or later.
- Restrict network access to SCG management interfaces to trusted administrative subnets only.
- Review authentication logs for anomalous attempt patterns since the appliance was last updated.
Patch Information
Dell has released fixed versions addressing CVE-2026-78490. Apply the update referenced in the Dell Security Update DSA-2026-382. Upgrade appliance deployments to 5.36.00.16 or later and application deployments to 5.36.00.00 or later. Validate the upgraded build number in the SCG console after patching.
Workarounds
- Place SCG behind a reverse proxy or firewall that enforces rate limiting and IP allow-listing on authentication endpoints.
- Require multi-factor authentication for all SCG administrator accounts where supported.
- Disable or isolate SCG management access from general user networks until the patch is applied.
# Configuration example: restrict SCG management access at the perimeter
# Replace 10.10.20.0/24 with your administrator subnet
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -s 10.10.20.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -j DROP
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
