CVE-2026-101210 in OpenManage Enterprise
Summary
by MITRE • 10/30/2026
Dell OpenManage Enterprise, versions prior to 4.8.0, contains an Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') vulnerability. A high privileged attacker with remote access could potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to Command execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/30/2026
The identified security flaw resides within Dell OpenManage Enterprise software versions preceding the 4.8.0 release and is classified as a critical input validation failure resulting in operating system command injection. This vulnerability stems from an improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands, allowing malicious actors to inject arbitrary shell commands into application inputs that are subsequently passed to underlying system utilities without adequate sanitization or escaping. The core technical deficiency lies in the software's handling of user-supplied data within administrative interfaces or API endpoints where these values are concatenated directly into command strings executed by the operating system. When a high-privileged attacker with remote access exploits this weakness, they can manipulate input parameters to break out of intended execution contexts and execute arbitrary commands with the privileges associated with the OpenManage Enterprise service account. This typically results in full compromise of the management server, enabling lateral movement across the managed infrastructure or exfiltration of sensitive configuration data stored on the appliance.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns directly with Common Weakness Enumeration identifier CWE-78, which defines Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command. The attack vector is categorized under Remote Code Execution (RCE), allowing exploitation over network protocols such as HTTPS or HTTP depending on the specific interface exposed by the application. In terms of adversary behavior mapping to MITRE ATT&CK techniques, this vulnerability facilitates T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter execution, specifically through indirect command invocation via system utilities like /bin/sh or cmd.exe. The attacker leverages special characters such as semicolons, ampersands, pipes, or backticks to chain commands or bypass input filters that may be present but insufficiently robust for complex injection payloads.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to the elevated privilege level required and granted during exploitation. Since Dell OpenManage Enterprise serves as a centralized management platform for enterprise IT infrastructure, compromising it provides an attacker with extensive visibility into hardware health, firmware versions, network configurations, and user credentials stored within the system database. An adversary can use this access to deploy malware, establish persistent backdoors, or disrupt critical business operations by altering power policies, shutting down servers, or modifying BIOS settings remotely. The ability to execute commands as a high-privileged service account means that standard security controls like application whitelisting may be bypassed if the service runs with excessive permissions relative to its functional requirements.
Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate patching of all affected instances to version 4.8.0 or later, where Dell has implemented rigorous input validation and parameterized command execution mechanisms to prevent injection attacks. In environments where immediate patching is not feasible due to operational constraints, network segmentation should be enforced to restrict access to the OpenManage Enterprise interface exclusively from trusted management networks using firewalls or virtual LANs. Additionally, implementing strict web application firewall rules can help detect and block common OS command injection patterns such as shell metacharacters in HTTP request parameters. Security teams should also audit service account permissions to ensure that even if exploitation occurs, the principle of least privilege limits the potential damage by restricting access to sensitive system directories and critical processes. Regular vulnerability scanning focused on management plane interfaces is recommended to identify similar misconfigurations or unpatched components across the infrastructure.