CVE-2026-71172 in Cloud Disaster Recovery
Summary
by MITRE • 08/26/2026
Dell Cloud Disaster Recovery, versions 20.2 and prior, contain a Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerability. A low privileged attacker with remote access could potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to Server-side request forgery.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/26/2026
The identified vulnerability in Dell Cloud Disaster Recovery versions 20.2 and earlier represents a critical security flaw classified as a Server-Side Request Forgery or SSRF. This type of vulnerability arises when an application accepts user-supplied input, such as a URL or IP address, and uses that data to make server-side requests without sufficiently validating the destination. In this specific context, the software fails to properly sanitize inputs before initiating network connections from the backend system. The security implications are severe because SSRF allows an attacker to manipulate the application into making requests to internal resources that would otherwise be inaccessible from the external internet or untrusted networks. This effectively bypasses perimeter firewalls and access control lists that protect critical infrastructure components, databases, and management interfaces within the cloud environment.
From a technical perspective, the root cause lies in inadequate input validation mechanisms regarding how the application processes destination addresses for internal API calls or service communications. When a low-privileged attacker with remote access submits crafted requests containing maliciously constructed URLs pointing to localhost, private IP ranges, or other sensitive endpoints, the server executes these requests on behalf of the user. This capability enables several dangerous attack vectors including port scanning of internal networks, exploitation of vulnerable services running on local interfaces such as metadata service APIs commonly found in cloud environments like AWS EC2 or Azure VMs, and potentially reading sensitive configuration files stored locally on the application servers. The attacker can leverage these requests to extract authentication tokens, credentials, or other confidential data that are typically exposed through instance metadata endpoints if not properly secured.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations relying on Dell Cloud Disaster Recovery for their business continuity strategies. An exploited SSRF flaw could lead to unauthorized access to internal services, leading to potential data exfiltration, service disruption, or further lateral movement within the network architecture. Since the vulnerability can be triggered by a low-privileged user with remote access, it lowers the barrier for entry significantly compared to vulnerabilities requiring administrative privileges. Attackers who gain even minimal foothold in the system can escalate their impact by probing internal services that may have weaker security controls than the primary application layer. This creates a pathway for attackers to compromise not just the immediate service but potentially adjacent systems and data stores connected via internal network segments, undermining the integrity and confidentiality guarantees provided by the disaster recovery platform.
To mitigate this risk, it is imperative to apply the latest patches or updates released by Dell that address these input validation deficiencies immediately upon availability. Organizations should also implement strict egress filtering rules at the network level to restrict outbound connections from application servers to only those destinations explicitly required for business operations. Additionally, deploying Web Application Firewalls with SSRF detection capabilities can provide an additional layer of defense by identifying and blocking suspicious request patterns targeting internal IP ranges or cloud metadata endpoints. Security teams should also review access controls to ensure that remote access is granted on a least-privilege basis and monitor logs for unusual outbound connection attempts originating from the application servers. Aligning remediation efforts with industry standards such as CWE Category 918 which covers Server-Side Request Forgery flaws, and mapping potential exploitation techniques to MITRE ATT&CK tactics related to Discovery or Credential Access will help in systematically hardening the environment against similar threats.