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Rugged Control Center CVE-2026-81473

| EUVDEUVD-2026-86401 HIGH
Improper Authentication (CWE-287)
2026-09-24 dell GHSA-rpjr-64ph-wqh3
8.1
CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: dell
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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Access
    Obtain low-privileged local account
  2. Delivery
    Invoke RCC privileged function
  3. Exploit
    Bypass improper authorization check
  4. Execution
    Trigger required user interaction
  5. Impact
    Elevate to administrative privileges

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A07:2025 - Authentication Failures
ASVS 5.0
V6 - Authentication Authentication mechanism validation
MITRE ATT&CK

2 techniques across 2 tactics: Defense Evasion, Initial Access

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Exploitation Conditions

Requires local access to a Dell endpoint running Rugged Control Center (RCC) prior to version 5.2.206, with the attacker already holding a low-privileged local account (PR:L). Exploitation additionally depends on user interaction (UI:R per the CVSS vector). It cannot be performed remotely or unauthenticated (AV:L, no PR:N), which materially limits real-world exposure to scenarios where an attacker or malware already has a foothold on the specific rugged device; RCC is bundled with Dell rugged Latitude laptops/tablets, so only that installed base is affected.

Impact

CVSS 8.1 (High) is driven almost entirely by the AV:L/PR:L combination plus a scope change (S:C) and high integrity/availability impact - this is a local privilege-escalation flaw, NOT a remote-exploitable one. Attack vector is LOCAL and requires an already-authenticated low-privileged account (PR:L) plus user interaction (UI:R), so it cannot be triggered by an anonymous network attacker. No EPSS score, no CISA KEV listing, and no public exploit code are present in the input, so exploitation status is 'no public exploit identified at time of analysis' - there is no evidence of active or automatable mass exploitation. Note a signal tension: the description characterizes the flaw as 'Improper Authorization' (mapping to CWE-285) while the record is tagged CWE-287 (Improper Authentication) - verify the true weakness class with Dell. The vendor-assigned vector also looks internally inconsistent for a local EoP: UI:R and S:C are unusual for a same-system privilege escalation and C:L understates a typical elevation-to-admin outcome (see assessed vector). Net: a real but bounded local-privilege-escalation issue best triaged as a routine patch on affected Dell rugged endpoints rather than an emergency, high-real-risk network exposure.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

A low-privileged user (or malware already running under a limited local account) on a Dell rugged laptop/tablet running RCC prior to 5.2.206 invokes the RCC component and, through an improper authorization check, performs an action reserved for a higher-privileged context, elevating to administrative privileges on the device. Because CVSS specifies UI:R, the chain likely requires a local user action to complete. No public proof-of-concept is identified at the time of analysis.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
Patch available 0.1% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Sep 24, 2026

Improper authorization in Dell Rugged Control Center (RCC) builds prior to 5.2.206 allows a low-privileged local user to escalate privileges on an affected rugged Dell endpoint. The vendor rates this CVSS 8.1 with a local attack vector, low privileges required, scope change, and high integrity and availability impact (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:H), meaning an attacker or malware must already hold a foothold on the specific rugged device - it is not remotely or unauthenticated exploitable. No public exploit code or confirmed active exploitation was identified at time of analysis, and Dell has released a fixed build (5.2.206) via advisory DSA-2026-410.

RemediationAI

Vendor-released patch: upgrade Dell Rugged Control Center to version 5.2.206 or later; Dell documents the update in its DSA-2026-410 advisory at https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000506924/dsa-2026-410-security-update-for-dell-rugged-control-center-rcc-multiple-vulnerabilities, which must be reviewed in full because it addresses multiple RCC vulnerabilities. Where immediate upgrade of a rugged device is impractical, compensating controls should target the local privilege boundary that this flaw abuses: enforce least privilege so that only trusted administrators can log on to or run code on affected rugged endpoints, and audit for unnecessary low-privileged interactive accounts and local group memberships - the trade-off is reduced operational flexibility for shared or field-deployed devices. Application allowlisting and hardening of local process execution paths (for example, blocking untrusted binaries from launching from user-writable directories) can interrupt exploitation chains, at the cost of additional endpoint management overhead and possible friction with field tooling. If RCC functionality is not required on a given device, uninstalling or disabling the utility removes the attack surface entirely, with the obvious trade-off of losing rugged-specific hardware controls. Because exploitation requires an existing local foothold, monitoring for suspicious local privilege transitions and unauthorized modification of RCC-related files or services on rugged endpoints gives the best chance of detecting post-compromise activity.

Affected VersionsENISA

Rugged Control Center (RCC) 0 <5.2.206

Affected Packages

euvd rugged_control_center_rcc fix: 5.2.206

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 1 package in euvd

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

The issue is tracked as CWE-287 (Improper Authentication) and described by the vendor as an Improper Authorization vulnerability, indicating that RCC fails to correctly validate the identity or privileges of the caller before performing a security-sensitive operation. The affected component is identified by the CPE cpe:2.3:a:dell:rugged_control_center_(rcc):*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*, i.e. the RCC endpoint utility that Dell ships with its rugged hardware line; because that utility typically runs with elevated rights while interacting with lower-privileged local users, a missing authorization check on an exposed interface creates a privilege boundary failure. The CVSS scope change (S:C) is characteristic of this class: the vulnerable component affects resources beyond its own security scope, so a low-privileged local process can drive privileged actions. Both the vendor vector and the assessment agree on AV:L/PR:L, confirming the attack surface is the local endpoint session rather than the network; the vendor vector additionally flags user interaction (UI:R), which slightly narrows exploitability compared with a fully unattended trigger. High integrity and availability impact indicate that a successful exploit can tamper with or disrupt the device's system state, not merely read data.

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Severity by source

Vendor (dell) PRIMARY 8.1 HIGH
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:H
vuln.today AI 7.8 HIGH

Local low-priv account elevating to admin gives full C/I/A:H on one system (S:U); UI:N since local EoP rarely needs interaction - diverges from Dell's UI:R/S:C/C:L.

3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.0 AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Primary rating from Vendor (dell).

CVSS VectorVendor: dell

Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
Required
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Lifecycle Timeline

2
Patch available
Sep 24, 2026 - 20:03 EUVD
CVE Published
Sep 24, 2026 - 18:53 cve.org
HIGH 8.1

DescriptionCVE.org

Dell Rugged Control Center (RCC), versions prior to 5.2.206, contain an Improper Authorization vulnerability. A low privileged attacker with local access could potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to Elevation of Privileges.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

Dell Rugged Control Center, the management software preinstalled on Dell rugged laptops and tablets used by field, industrial, and public-safety staff, contains an authorization flaw that lets an attacker who already has a foothold on the device elevate to higher privileges and tamper with or disrupt the system. Because exploitation requires local access to the specific hardened endpoint, this is a post-compromise escalation risk rather than a remote perimeter threat, but it can turn a minor malware infection or a shared-device misuse into full control of a field asset. Leadership should care because these devices often sit outside the corporate network in physically exposed environments, so containment options are limited once privilege escalation succeeds.

Business Impact: High
Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch (RCC build 5.2.206 per Dell advisory DSA-2026-410). Until the upgrade is deployed, limit local user privileges on affected rugged endpoints, restrict software execution to known-good binaries, and monitor those devices closely for signs of local privilege escalation.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.1%
Top 100% exploitable
Prevalence
Low
companion software for Dell rugged Latitude/tablet line, industry-specific niche endpoints
Data Quality
4 sources
Confidence: Medium

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity HIGH
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.1%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Scheduled
Exploitation· derived
None
System Exposure· derived
Small
Automatable· derived
No
Human Impact
High

Priority Score

40
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +40
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Authentication bypass attacks exploit flaws in the verification mechanisms that control access to systems and applications.

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