CVE-2026-86365 in Alienware Command Center
Summary
by MITRE • 11/02/2026
Dell Alienware Command Center (AWCC), versions prior to 6.14.54.0, contain an Improper Input Validation vulnerability. A low privileged attacker with local access could potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to Denial of Service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/02/2026
The Dell Alienware Command Center software, specifically versions preceding the security patch release 6.14.54.0, contains a critical flaw rooted in improper input validation mechanisms within its core processing logic. This vulnerability arises from insufficient sanitization and verification procedures applied to user-supplied data inputs before they are processed by the application's internal functions. The lack of rigorous boundary checks allows malicious actors to inject malformed or unexpectedly structured data that bypasses expected parsing routines, leading to unstable execution states within the software environment.
From a technical perspective, this flaw is classified under Common Weakness Enumeration identifier CWE-20 as Improper Input Validation. The vulnerability manifests when the application fails to adequately validate the length, format, or content of specific input parameters passed by local users. Because the validation logic does not enforce strict constraints on these inputs, an attacker can craft a payload that triggers memory corruption, infinite loops, or unhandled exceptions within the running process. This technical deficiency is particularly dangerous because it resides in a system-level utility often granted elevated privileges to manage hardware configurations and RGB lighting controls for Alienware devices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability centers on Denial of Service conditions affecting local users with low privilege levels. An attacker possessing only basic user access rights can exploit the flaw by triggering specific input sequences that cause the Dell Alienware Command Center application to crash or become unresponsive. Since AWCC is a persistent background service essential for managing hardware performance profiles and peripheral settings, its disruption results in a degraded system experience. Users may find themselves unable to adjust fan speeds, monitor thermal states, or configure device lighting until the process is manually restarted or the system is rebooted, thereby disrupting normal workstation operations without requiring administrative credentials.
In terms of threat modeling, this vulnerability aligns with MITRE ATT&CK technique T1499 Endpoint Denial of Service, where an adversary aims to degrade or deny availability of compute resources by exhausting them through resource consumption or application crashes. While the exploit requires local access and low privileges, it represents a significant risk in shared computing environments or multi-user systems where one user can disrupt the stability for others. The attack vector is classified as Local with Low Privileges, indicating that physical or remote desktop session access to an unpatched endpoint is necessary to initiate the exploitation chain.
To mitigate this vulnerability, system administrators and end-users must prioritize immediate patching of the Dell Alienware Command Center software to version 6.14.54.0 or any subsequent release issued by Dell Technologies that addresses this specific input validation flaw. Regular maintenance windows should be scheduled to ensure all endpoint management utilities are up-to-date with vendor security advisories. Additionally, implementing strict application control policies can help restrict the execution of untrusted scripts or binaries within the AWCC environment, adding a layer of defense-in-depth against potential exploitation attempts by local users seeking to disrupt system stability.