Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
-
AccessObtain low-privileged appliance access
-
ExploitSend crafted path with traversal sequences
-
ExecutionEscape intended restricted directory
-
ImpactAccess files on appliance filesystem
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A01:2025 - Broken Access Control
ASVS 5.0
V5 - File Handling Path canonicalization, traversal prevention
MITRE ATT&CK
2 techniques across 2 tactics: Discovery, Collection The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. |
| Exploitation Conditions | Exploitation requires the attacker to already hold low-privileged credentials on the Dell PowerProtect Data Domain appliance (PR:L) and network reachability to it (AV:N); no user interaction is needed (UI:N) and attack complexity is low (AC:L). The specific product feature, endpoint, or request parameter that accepts the traversable pathname is not described in the available sources. The primary limiting factor is the authentication requirement - an attacker must first obtain valid low-privilege access, so this is not exploitable by a fully unauthenticated remote attacker. Affected deployments are Feature Release 7.7.1.0 through 8.8, LTS2024 7.13.1.0 through 7.13.1.80, LTS2025 8.3.1.0 through 8.3.1.40, and LTS2026 8.6.1.0 through 8.6.1.20. |
| Impact | This is a genuine priority, though short of an emergency. The input CVSS vector (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N) describes a network-reachable, low-complexity flaw requiring only low privileges (PR:L) and no user interaction, which is a favorable profile for an authenticated attacker who already has any foothold on the appliance. The vuln.today decision label is 'this_week', consistent with a serious-but-not-actively-exploited issue. No EPSS score, no CISA KEV listing, and no PoC reference were supplied, so there is no public evidence of exploitation or weaponization - this is 'no public exploit identified at time of analysis'. A notable conflict exists between signals: the Dell-assigned CVSS claims full C:H/I:H/A:H impact, but the description only states the outcome as 'filesystem access for attacker', which most naturally describes confidentiality (file read) via path traversal and does not itself establish the integrity or availability impact the vector asserts - verify the write/overwrite capability with Dell. Overall this rates as a high-severity, authenticated path-traversal issue warranting prompt patching rather than a drop-everything emergency. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker holding low-privileged credentials to a PowerProtect Data Domain appliance sends a crafted request over the network containing directory-traversal sequences (e.g. '../') to a vulnerable file-handling endpoint. Because the application fails to properly restrict the pathname, the request resolves outside the intended directory and grants the attacker access to files on the appliance filesystem. No public proof-of-concept or exploit code was provided in the available sources. |
Get an e-mail when this CVE is exploited, patched or re-scored. Free account.
Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Oct 28, 2026
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain appliances running Feature Release 7.7.1.0 through 8.8, LTS2024 7.13.1.0 through 7.13.1.80, LTS2025 8.3.1.0 through 8.3.1.40, or LTS2026 8.6.1.0 through 8.6.1.20 fail to constrain a user-supplied pathname to its intended restricted directory (CWE-22), allowing an attacker to reach files outside that directory. Exploitation requires the attacker to already hold low-privileged credentials on the appliance (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N) and network reachability to it, so a fully unauthenticated remote attacker cannot use it directly; the assessed impact is to confidentiality - unauthorized filesystem read access - and no user interaction is needed. No public exploit code has been identified at time of analysis and the issue is not in CISA KEV, but it is a genuine priority for this week's patch cycle rather than an emergency, and the specific feature or request parameter that accepts the traversable pathname is not described in the available sources.
RemediationAI
Dell has published a security update for this issue as DSA-2026-416 (https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000515178/dsa-2026-416-security-update-for-dell-powerprotect-data-domain-multiple-vulnerabilities); consult that advisory for the exact fixed build on each branch, since the supplied data lists affected ranges (Feature Release 7.7.1.0-8.8, LTS2024 7.13.1.0-7.13.1.80, LTS2025 8.3.1.0-8.3.1.40, LTS2026 8.6.1.0-8.6.1.20) but does not enumerate the corresponding fixed version numbers, and no fixed version should be assumed from this analysis. Until the appliance is updated, the effective compensating control follows directly from the exploitation prerequisites: because the flaw requires valid low-privileged credentials (PR:L), reduce the population that holds any authenticated access to the Data Domain management and data-access interfaces, remove or disable unused local and directory-backed accounts, and restrict network reachability to the appliance so only backup administrators and backup clients that genuinely need it can connect - the trade-off is that over-restrictive filtering can break replication, DD Boost, and monitoring integrations, so validate rule sets against those flows before enforcement. There is no evidence in the supplied data of a configuration toggle or feature that can be disabled to remove the vulnerable pathname handling, so credential and network scoping should be treated as containment rather than a fix, and Dell's update remains the complete remedy. No public exploit code has been identified at time of analysis, but the low attack complexity and the fact that the traversal can be driven by an already-authenticated user argue for scheduling the update in the current patch cycle rather than deferring it.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affects your stack
Find out whether the stacks and servers you run are on an affected version.
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
PowerProtect Data Domain is Dell's purpose-built deduplicating backup appliance, and CPE data (cpe:2.3:a:dell:powerprotect_data_domain) confirms the affected component is the appliance software itself rather than a separate application running on customer hardware. The flaw is classed as CWE-22, Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory: a pathname accepted by the software is not adequately canonicalized and bounded, so sequences that resolve outside the designated directory can escape it. The available sources do not identify which interface, endpoint, CLI command, or request parameter carries the traversable pathname, nor do they describe the trigger mechanics, so the exact vulnerable code path is unverified. The assessed vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N) indicates the attack is launched over the network with low complexity and no user interaction, but that the attacker must first possess valid low-privilege credentials on the appliance, which is the primary limiting factor; the assessed impact is a high confidentiality loss with no integrity or availability effect, narrower than the vendor-published 8.8 score that also claims high integrity and availability impact. Dell's DSA-2026-416 advisory is the authoritative technical reference and groups this issue with multiple other vulnerabilities fixed for the product, but the supplied data does not enumerate the individual fixes.
Know when Powerprotect Data Domain gets its next vulnerability
- Watch products and get an email when something new is published
- Check this CVE against your own stack and servers
- Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources
No credit card · 7-day full trial
Severity by source
AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Remote, low-complexity, low-privileged path traversal (AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N); description supports file-read confidentiality impact (C:H) but does not establish the vendor-claimed integrity or availability impact, so I:N/A:N.
Primary rating from Vendor (dell).
CVSS VectorVendor: dell
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain, Feature Release versions 7.7.1.0 through 8.8, LTS2024 release versions 7.13.1.0 through 7.13.1.80, LTS2025 release versions 8.3.1.0 through 8.3.1.40, LTS2026 release versions 8.6.1.0 through 8.6.1.20, contain an Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability. A low privileged attacker with remote access could potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to filesystem access for attacker.
Executive ViewAI
A path traversal vulnerability (CVE-2026-86398) affects Dell PowerProtect Data Domain appliances across several release trains, allowing an attacker with low-privileged credentials to read files outside their intended directory. While exploitation requires prior access to the appliance, the exposed data could include sensitive configuration or backup metadata, making this a priority for the upcoming patch cycle rather than an emergency. Leadership should care because compromised backup infrastructure can undermine data protection and recovery assurances.
No vendor patch identified; restrict network access to trusted management networks, enforce least privilege by minimizing and reviewing low-privileged accounts, enable detailed logging and monitoring for file access anomalies, and isolate affected appliances from untrusted networks.
Threat Intelligence Overview
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.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Path traversal exploits occur when applications use user-controlled input to construct file system paths without proper validation.
More in Powerprotect Data Domain
View allPath traversal leading to full system compromise affects Dell PowerProtect Data Domain (DD OS) versions 7.7.1.0 through
Improper authentication in Dell PowerProtect Data Domain (versions 7.7.1.0 through 8.7, plus the LTS2026, LTS2025, and L
Stack-based buffer overflow in Dell PowerProtect Data Domain DD OS allows remote unauthenticated attackers to execute ar
Unauthenticated remote command execution is possible on Dell PowerProtect Data Domain appliances running Feature Release
Remote, unauthenticated attackers can obtain exposed credentials from Dell PowerProtect Data Domain appliances running F
Improper authentication in Dell PowerProtect Data Domain allows remote unauthenticated attackers to bypass authenticatio
Privilege escalation in Dell PowerProtect Data Domain Feature Release 7.7.1.0 through 8.8 allows an authenticated, low-p
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain with Data Domain Operating System (DD OS) versions prior to 8.3.0.15 contain an Insufficie
Improper certificate validation in Dell PowerProtect Data Domain DD OS 7.7.1.0-8.5, 8.3.1.0-8.3.1.20 (LTS2025), and 7.13
Stack-based buffer overflow in Dell PowerProtect Data Domain allows a low-privileged authenticated remote attacker to po
Local attackers can gain full system access to Dell PowerProtect Data Domain storage systems without authentication due
Improper authentication in Dell PowerProtect Data Domain allows a remote attacker who already holds low-privileged crede
EUVD-2026-111840
GHSA-h3p7-cf5p-3mr2
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Exploit-DB