CVE-2026-90731 in PowerProtect Data Domain
Summary
by MITRE • 10/27/2026
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain, Feature Release versions 7.7.1.0 through 8.7, LTS2024 release versions 7.13.1.0 through 7.13.1.80, LTS2025 release versions 8.3.1.0 through 8.3.1.40, LTS2026 release versions 8.6.1.0 through 8.6.1.20, contain a Stack-based Buffer Overflow vulnerability. A high privileged attacker with remote access could potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to Denial of service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2026
The identified security flaw resides within Dell PowerProtect Data Domain systems across multiple software release tracks including Feature Releases 7.7.1.0 through 8.7 and various Long Term Support releases spanning from LTS2024 version 7.13.1.0 up to 7.13.1.80, as well as LTS2025 versions 8.3.1.0 through 8.3.1.40 and LTS2026 versions 8.6.1.0 through 8.6.1.20. This vulnerability is classified technically as a stack-based buffer overflow, which corresponds to Common Weakness Enumeration identifier CWE-121. The core technical issue involves the improper handling of input data within specific application functions where the system fails to adequately verify or bound-check user-supplied information before copying it into fixed-size memory buffers allocated on the call stack. When an attacker provides input that exceeds the expected buffer capacity, the excess data overwrites adjacent memory locations on the stack, corrupting critical control structures such as return addresses and saved frame pointers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is primarily characterized by a denial of service condition rather than arbitrary code execution or privilege escalation in its current exploitation context. Because the attack requires high privileged access with remote connectivity to trigger the flaw, it suggests that the vulnerable function is likely part of an administrative interface or management API accessible only to users who already possess significant system permissions. Upon successful exploitation, the memory corruption causes the application process handling the request to crash abruptly. This results in service interruption for backup and recovery operations managed by the Data Domain appliance, potentially disrupting data protection workflows and requiring manual intervention or a restart of affected services to restore normal functionality. The severity is elevated due to the potential for repeated denial-of-service attacks that can degrade system availability over time if not addressed promptly.
From an offensive security perspective, this vulnerability aligns with MITRE ATT&CK techniques related to resource exhaustion and service disruption. While stack-based buffer overflows are historically associated with remote code execution via shellcode injection, in this specific instance the exploitation vector is constrained by the high privilege requirement for the attacker. This limitation reduces the blast radius compared to unauthenticated vulnerabilities but still poses a significant risk to operational continuity within enterprise data protection environments where availability is paramount. The presence of such flaws in long-term support releases indicates that legacy code paths or less frequently tested administrative endpoints may harbor residual defects despite rigorous testing cycles typical of enterprise storage solutions.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize the immediate application of vendor-provided patches and software updates to bring all affected systems into compliance with the latest secure release versions. Administrators must verify their current firmware levels against the specified vulnerable ranges and schedule maintenance windows for upgrades during periods of low backup activity to minimize operational disruption. In environments where patching cannot be immediately implemented, network segmentation policies should be enforced to restrict access to administrative interfaces exclusively from trusted management networks using strong authentication mechanisms such as multi-factor authentication. Additionally, implementing strict input validation at the application layer through web application firewalls or API gateways can help filter out malformed requests that exhibit characteristics of buffer overflow attempts before they reach the vulnerable code paths. Continuous monitoring for unusual process termination events or service restarts on Data Domain appliances is also recommended to detect potential exploitation attempts early and respond accordingly.