CVE-2026-79741 Overview
CVE-2026-79741 is a command injection vulnerability affecting Dell Secure Connect Gateway (SCG) 5.0. The flaw exists in Dell 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 results from improper neutralization of special elements used in a command [CWE-77]. An unauthenticated attacker with remote network access can exploit the flaw to achieve script injection. Dell published advisory DSA-2026-382 to address multiple vulnerabilities in the Secure Connect Gateway Virtual Edition, including this issue.
Critical Impact
Unauthenticated remote attackers can inject scripts through the affected component, potentially exposing limited confidential data from the Secure Connect Gateway.
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
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-09-09 - CVE-2026-79741 published to NVD
- 2026-09-09 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-79741
Vulnerability Analysis
Dell Secure Connect Gateway is a remote support and telemetry solution that connects Dell infrastructure to Dell support services. The vulnerability allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to inject unintended commands or scripts into a component that processes user-supplied input. Because the application fails to neutralize special elements before passing input into a command context, attacker-controlled content is interpreted as executable syntax. The advisory characterizes the resulting impact as script injection with limited confidentiality effect and no direct integrity or availability impact.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper neutralization of special elements used in a command, classified under [CWE-77]. Input reaching a command-processing routine is not sanitized or escaped, allowing special characters to alter the intended command structure. This class of flaw commonly arises when applications construct command strings by concatenating untrusted input rather than passing arguments through safe execution APIs or strict allow-lists.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires only network access to the Secure Connect Gateway. No authentication and no user interaction are required, and the attack complexity is low. An attacker crafts a request containing malicious payload data targeting the vulnerable command handler. Successful exploitation leads to script injection within the appliance context. Refer to the Dell Security Update DSA-2026-382 for vendor-provided technical context.
// No verified proof-of-concept code is publicly available for CVE-2026-79741.
// See Dell advisory DSA-2026-382 for authoritative technical details.
Stop Remote Code Execution Before It Runs
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Stop Exploit AttemptsDetection Methods for CVE-2026-79741
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected outbound connections or process activity originating from the Secure Connect Gateway appliance.
- HTTP requests to SCG management endpoints containing shell metacharacters such as ;, |, &, backticks, or $() sequences.
- Log entries showing malformed parameters or unusual payload lengths in SCG request handlers.
Detection Strategies
- Inspect SCG web request logs for parameters containing command separators or script tags routed to command-processing endpoints.
- Correlate SCG application errors with subsequent process creation events on the underlying host.
- Compare deployed SCG versions against fixed builds 5.36.00.16 (Appliance) and 5.36.00.00 (Application) to identify vulnerable instances.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable verbose request logging on the Secure Connect Gateway and forward logs to a centralized analytics platform.
- Monitor for anomalous child processes spawned by SCG service accounts or web-tier processes.
- Alert on configuration changes, new administrative sessions, or unexpected outbound telemetry from the SCG appliance.
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-79741
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade Dell SCG 5.0 Appliance to version 5.36.00.16 or later.
- Upgrade Dell SCG 5.0 Application to version 5.36.00.00 or later.
- Restrict network reachability of the SCG management interface to trusted administrative networks only.
- Audit SCG logs for suspicious requests preceding the patch deployment.
Patch Information
Dell has released fixed builds as part of advisory DSA-2026-382. Administrators should apply Appliance version 5.36.00.16 or later and Application version 5.36.00.00 or later. Complete remediation details are available in the Dell Security Update DSA-2026-382.
Workarounds
- Place the SCG appliance behind a firewall or reverse proxy that restricts inbound access to authorized management hosts.
- Apply web application firewall rules to block requests containing shell metacharacters targeting SCG endpoints.
- Disable or isolate the SCG instance until patches can be applied if exposure cannot be limited by network controls.
# Example: restrict inbound access to SCG management interface using iptables
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -s 10.0.0.0/24 -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.
