CVE-2026-82166 in Application Store
Summary
by MITRE • 10/19/2026
Dell Application Store, versions prior to 26.05.0.7, contain a Missing Authentication for Critical Function vulnerability. An unauthenticated attacker with adjacent network access could potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/19/2026
The Dell Application Store software, specifically in versions preceding the release of version 26.05.0.7, exhibits a critical security deficiency classified as Missing Authentication for Critical Function. This flaw resides within the application's access control mechanisms, where specific administrative or high-privilege operations are not adequately protected by authentication requirements. The vulnerability allows an attacker who has established adjacent network connectivity to interact with these unprotected endpoints without providing valid credentials. Adjacent network access typically implies that the attacker is on the same local area network segment as the target system, such as through a wired Ethernet connection or a shared Wi-Fi network, which significantly lowers the barrier for exploitation compared to remote attacks over the public internet but remains highly feasible in corporate and enterprise environments where internal trust boundaries are often lax.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability represents a fundamental failure in implementing proper access control policies. The software fails to verify the identity of the user or system attempting to execute critical functions before granting permission. This oversight means that any entity capable of reaching the service port associated with these functions can invoke them directly. In many web-based or API-driven applications like Dell Application Store, such functions might include installing new packages, modifying configuration settings, updating firmware definitions, or managing user accounts. The absence of authentication checks creates a direct path for unauthorized manipulation of the application's state and behavior. This aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) identifier CWE-306, which describes situations where critical functionality is performed without proper verification of identity, leading to potential privilege escalation or system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its classification as a path to arbitrary code execution. Once an attacker successfully exploits the missing authentication mechanism, they can likely inject and execute malicious commands within the context of the application process. Depending on the privileges under which Dell Application Store operates, this could result in full system compromise if the service runs with elevated permissions such as root or SYSTEM access. An adversary could leverage this foothold to install backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive data from the local network, pivot to other systems by using the compromised host as a launchpad, or disrupt business operations through denial of service attacks. The ability to execute arbitrary code transforms what might otherwise be an information disclosure issue into a critical threat vector for total infrastructure takeover within the affected network segment.
This vulnerability maps directly to several tactics and techniques defined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework. Specifically, it relates to Initial Access via Valid Accounts or Exploitation of Remote Services if authentication is bypassed entirely, but more accurately fits under Privilege Escalation through improper access controls. The exploitation path often involves Service Scanning followed by Command Injection or Arbitrary File Write depending on the specific function exploited within Dell Application Store. Attackers would typically perform network discovery to identify vulnerable hosts and then craft requests that trigger the unauthenticated functions, leading to code execution. This behavior is consistent with techniques observed in various ransomware campaigns and advanced persistent threat operations where internal lateral movement begins by exploiting misconfigured services on adjacent systems.
To mitigate this risk, organizations must immediately apply the vendor-provided patch or update Dell Application Store to version 26.05.0.7 or later. This updated release addresses the underlying access control logic errors that allowed unauthenticated interactions with critical functions. In addition to applying patches, administrators should enforce strict network segmentation policies to limit adjacent network access to systems running this software. Implementing firewalls and intrusion detection systems can help monitor for suspicious traffic patterns indicative of exploitation attempts, such as repeated requests to known administrative endpoints without authentication headers. Regular vulnerability scanning and penetration testing are also recommended to identify similar misconfigurations across the enterprise environment before they can be leveraged by malicious actors.