CVE-2026-81475 in OpenManage Server Administrator
Summary
by MITRE • 09/17/2026
Dell OpenManage Server Administrator, versions prior to 11.1.0.3, contains a Missing Authentication for Critical Function vulnerability. An unauthenticated attacker with remote access could potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to Remote execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/17/2026
The identified security flaw resides within Dell OpenManage Server Administrator software in versions preceding the release of version 11.1.0.3. This specific implementation defect is classified as a Missing Authentication for Critical Function vulnerability, which fundamentally represents a failure in access control mechanisms to properly verify user identity before executing sensitive operations. In secure system architectures, critical functions such as configuration changes, service management, or hardware diagnostics must require valid authentication credentials to ensure that only authorized personnel can interact with them. The absence of this verification step creates a significant security gap where the application fails to enforce proper access controls on specific endpoints or API calls within its web-based interface or underlying services.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability allows any remote actor who has network connectivity to the affected system to bypass authentication requirements entirely. An unauthenticated attacker can interact directly with these unprotected critical functions without needing valid user credentials, passwords, or session tokens. This lack of restriction means that malicious actors do not need to perform credential stuffing attacks, brute force attempts, or exploit other authentication-related weaknesses to gain access. The simplicity of this attack vector significantly lowers the barrier for exploitation, enabling even attackers with limited technical sophistication to interact with sensitive system components remotely over standard network protocols such as HTTP or HTTPS.
The potential impact of exploiting this vulnerability is severe and directly leads to remote code execution capabilities on the targeted server infrastructure. By manipulating unauthenticated critical functions, an attacker can potentially trigger actions that allow them to upload malicious payloads, execute arbitrary commands through exposed administrative interfaces, or manipulate system configurations in ways that compromise integrity and availability. This level of access effectively grants the attacker full control over the affected Dell OpenManage Server Administrator instance, which often serves as a central point for managing server hardware health, firmware updates, and power management settings. Compromise at this level can lead to broader network infiltration if the managed servers are part of a larger enterprise environment.
This vulnerability aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration identifier CWE-306, which describes Missing Authentication for Critical Function. It also maps to techniques observed in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those involving initial access and privilege escalation through unauthenticated API interactions or web application attacks where authentication checks are improperly implemented on sensitive endpoints. The exploitation of such flaws is a common tactic used by threat actors seeking quick entry points into hardened environments where traditional perimeter defenses may be robust but internal service configurations remain misconfigured.
To mitigate this risk, organizations must immediately upgrade Dell OpenManage Server Administrator to version 11.1.0.3 or later, as these subsequent releases address the authentication logic flaws that permitted unauthenticated access. Until patching is complete, administrators should implement network-level controls such as firewall rules to restrict access to the affected service ports exclusively from trusted management networks and authorized IP addresses. Additionally, deploying web application firewalls can help detect and block anomalous requests targeting known vulnerable endpoints. Regular security audits of administrative interfaces are recommended to ensure that all critical functions enforce strict authentication policies consistent with industry best practices for secure system administration.