CVE-2026-56686 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 Elevation of privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/17/2026
The identified security flaw resides within Dell ObjectScale software versions preceding 4.3.0.1 and is classified as a command injection vulnerability characterized by the improper neutralization of special elements used in operating system commands. This specific defect allows for OS Command Injection, which falls under Common Weakness Enumeration identifier CWE-78. The core technical issue stems from insufficient validation or sanitization of user-supplied input before it is passed to underlying shell interpreters or command execution functions within the application logic. When an attacker provides specially crafted input containing metacharacters such as semicolons, pipes, ampersands, or backticks, these characters are interpreted by the operating system rather than treated as literal data. This failure in input validation enables the injection of arbitrary commands that execute with the privileges of the vulnerable application process.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant due to its potential for privilege escalation. Although exploitation requires a low-privileged attacker who already possesses local access to the affected system, the ability to inject and execute operating system commands effectively bypasses standard user-level restrictions. By leveraging this flaw, an authenticated but unprivileged user can escalate their privileges to that of the application owner or even root, depending on how ObjectScale is deployed and configured. This compromise undermines the fundamental security principle of least privilege, allowing malicious actors to gain unauthorized control over critical system resources, modify configuration files, install persistent backdoors, or pivot further into the network infrastructure protected by Dell ObjectScale services.
From a threat intelligence perspective, this vulnerability aligns with MITRE ATT&CK technique T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically sub-techniques involving shell commands such as sh or bash. The attack vector involves local access, which places it within the initial access or persistence phases of an intrusion kill chain if combined with other exploitation methods to maintain foothold after privilege escalation. Security analysts should note that while remote code execution is not directly possible without prior authentication and network reachability, the combination of local access and command injection creates a high-severity risk profile for environments where multiple users share system accounts or where service boundaries are weakly enforced.
Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate software remediation as the primary defense mechanism. Organizations running Dell ObjectScale versions earlier than 4.3.0.1 should apply the vendor-provided patch to address the input validation deficiencies responsible for this command injection flaw. In addition to updating the software, administrators should enforce strict access controls by limiting local shell access to only those personnel who require it for administrative tasks. Implementing role-based access control ensures that low-privileged users do not have unnecessary interactive shell capabilities on systems hosting ObjectScale components. Furthermore, deploying host-based intrusion detection systems can help monitor for anomalous command execution patterns indicative of exploitation attempts, providing an additional layer of defense in depth while patch management processes are completed.