CVE-2026-80131 in Secure Connect Gateway
Summary
by MITRE • 09/07/2026
Dell SCG 5.0 Appliance versions prior to 5.36.00.16 and Dell SCG 5.0 Application versions prior to 5.36.00.00, contains an Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability. An unauthenticated attacker with remote access could potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to remote execution.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/07/2026
The identified security flaw resides within Dell SCG 5.0 Appliance versions prior to build 5.36.00.16 and the corresponding Application versions prior to 5.36.00.00. This vulnerability is classified as an Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory, commonly known in industry standards as CWE-22: Path Traversal. The core technical deficiency involves insufficient validation or sanitization of user-supplied input that dictates file system paths. When the application processes these inputs, it fails to adequately restrict access to directories outside the intended scope, allowing an attacker to manipulate path sequences such as dot-dot-slash (../) sequences to navigate up the directory hierarchy and access sensitive files or execute arbitrary code within restricted areas of the operating system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its potential for remote exploitation without authentication. An unauthenticated actor with network connectivity to the affected Dell SCG appliance can leverage this flaw to bypass security controls that would otherwise restrict file access. By crafting specific requests that exploit the path traversal logic, an attacker can read confidential configuration files, extract credentials stored on the disk, or potentially achieve Remote Code Execution (RCE). This capability fundamentally compromises the integrity and confidentiality of the storage infrastructure managed by the SCG appliance, as it allows unauthorized entities to manipulate system states or exfiltrate critical data without needing valid user accounts.
From a threat intelligence perspective, this vulnerability aligns with MITRE ATT&CK techniques related to Command and Control via Remote File Copy (T1105) if used for staging payloads, or more critically System Information Discovery (T1082) and Unsecured Credentials (T1552) when used to extract sensitive files. The lack of authentication requirement places this vulnerability in a high-risk category, as it expands the attack surface significantly by allowing any remote entity with network access to attempt exploitation. This is particularly concerning for enterprise environments where storage controllers are often exposed to management networks or broader internal subnets that may not be strictly segmented from potential threat actors.
Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate patching of all affected Dell SCG appliances and applications to the specified secure versions, 5.36.00.16 for the appliance and 5.36.00.00 for the application. In scenarios where immediate patching is not feasible due to operational constraints, organizations should implement strict network segmentation policies to limit access to the management interfaces of these appliances only from trusted administrative subnets. Additionally, deploying Web Application Firewalls (WAF) with rules specifically designed to detect and block path traversal patterns can provide a layer of defense in depth. Regular vulnerability scanning and continuous monitoring for anomalous file system access attempts are also recommended to identify potential exploitation activities early.