CVE-2026-56685 in ObjectScale
Summary
by MITRE • 08/17/2026
Dell ObjectScale, versions prior to 4.3.0.1, contain(s) an Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') vulnerability. A low privileged attacker with local access could potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to Command execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/17/2026
The identified security flaw resides within Dell ObjectScale software versions prior to 4.3.0.1 and is classified as an Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an Operating System Command, commonly known as OS Command Injection. This category of vulnerability represents a critical failure in input validation mechanisms where user-supplied data is incorporated into system commands without adequate sanitization or escaping. The core technical issue stems from the application's inability to distinguish between legitimate command arguments and malicious shell metacharacters such as semicolons, pipes, ampersands, or backticks. When an attacker provides specially crafted input that includes these special characters, the underlying operating system interprets them not as data but as instructions for additional commands, thereby allowing the execution of arbitrary code within the context of the vulnerable application process.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant due to its specific attack vector requirements and potential consequences. The exploit requires a low-privileged attacker with local access to the host running Dell ObjectScale. This constraint means that remote exploitation over a network is not directly possible; instead, an adversary must first gain some form of foothold on the system, such as through a compromised user account or another localized vulnerability. Once this local access is established, the attacker can leverage the command injection flaw to escalate privileges or execute commands with the permissions granted to the ObjectScale service process. This could lead to unauthorized data exfiltration, modification of critical configuration files, installation of persistent backdoors, or further lateral movement within the internal network infrastructure, effectively compromising the integrity and availability of the storage management platform.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-78, which defines Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command. It also maps to MITRE ATT&CK technique T1059, specifically sub-techniques related to command and script interpretation such as Unix Shell Commands or Windows Command Shell depending on the underlying operating system environment. The exploitation path typically involves crafting a payload that bypasses existing input filters by utilizing encoding techniques or chaining commands using shell operators. This allows the attacker to inject additional instructions after the intended command, effectively hijacking the execution flow of the application's interaction with the host OS.
To mitigate this risk, organizations running Dell ObjectScale versions prior to 4.3.0.1 must prioritize immediate patching by upgrading to version 4.3.0.1 or later where these input validation issues have been addressed. In addition to software updates, strict access control policies should be enforced to limit local login capabilities for non-administrative users on systems hosting ObjectScale components. Principle of least privilege should be applied rigorously so that the application process runs with minimal necessary permissions, reducing the potential impact if an injection is successfully executed. Furthermore, implementing robust input validation frameworks that strictly whitelist allowed characters and reject any unexpected special symbols can provide a defense-in-depth layer against command injection attempts. Regular security audits and code reviews focusing on external-facing or locally accessible interfaces are essential to identify similar vulnerabilities before they can be exploited in production environments.