CVE-2026-76111 in PowerStore 500T
Summary
by MITRE • 09/01/2026
Dell PowerStore contains an Incorrect Authorization vulnerability. An authenticated attacker with low privileges could potentially exploit this vulnerability to invoke administrator-only operations, leading to privilege escalation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/01/2026
The identified security flaw within Dell PowerStore represents a critical failure in access control mechanisms, specifically categorized under the domain of broken object level authorization or insecure direct object references depending on the specific implementation details not fully disclosed in the summary. This vulnerability stems from an incorrect authorization check that fails to properly validate whether the authenticated user possesses the requisite administrative privileges before executing sensitive system operations. In a robust security architecture, every request directed toward privileged endpoints must undergo rigorous verification against the user's role and permission set stored within the identity management subsystem. The presence of this flaw indicates that the application logic relies on insufficient checks, allowing an entity with low-privilege credentials to bypass these controls entirely. This type of vulnerability is commonly associated with CWE-269 Improper Privilege Management or CWE-862 Missing Authorization, highlighting a fundamental gap in enforcing least privilege principles within the software's internal workflow.
From an operational perspective, this misconfiguration enables an authenticated attacker who has obtained low-level access to escalate their privileges to that of an administrator without needing valid administrative credentials. This escalation path is particularly dangerous because it does not require external exploitation techniques such as buffer overflows or injection attacks; instead, it leverages the legitimate authentication infrastructure already in place. Once an attacker achieves administrative status through this vulnerability, they gain unrestricted control over the storage array's configuration and data management features. The potential impact includes the ability to modify system settings, manage user accounts, access sensitive stored data, and potentially disrupt service availability by altering critical parameters or deleting essential configurations. This level of compromise effectively neutralizes the security perimeter established for lower-level users, turning a minor breach into a complete takeover of the storage infrastructure.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with several tactics within the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to privilege escalation and defense evasion. An attacker might utilize techniques such as T1078 Valid Accounts or T1548 Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism if specific OS-level controls are also bypassed through application-layer flaws. The ability to invoke administrator-only operations suggests that the vulnerability allows for unauthorized modification of system state, which can be further leveraged to establish persistence or exfiltrate data. Security teams must recognize that authenticated low-privilege accounts are not inherently safe and require strict monitoring and validation against privileged actions.
To mitigate this risk, immediate action is required to apply vendor-provided patches that address the authorization logic flaws within the Dell PowerStore firmware. Organizations should ensure their systems are updated to the latest stable release where these access control checks have been corrected. In addition to patching, it is advisable to implement network segmentation strategies that restrict low-privilege user accounts from accessing management interfaces directly unless absolutely necessary. Implementing multi-factor authentication for all administrative and sensitive operational endpoints adds an additional layer of verification that can mitigate the impact if a single credential is compromised. Furthermore, continuous monitoring using intrusion detection systems configured to flag unusual patterns of privilege escalation attempts or access to high-risk API endpoints will help in early detection of exploitation activities. Regular audits of user permissions and adherence to the principle of least privilege are essential long-term strategies to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited effectively.