CVE-2026-91917 in OpenManage Enterprise
Summary
by MITRE • 10/30/2026
Dell OpenManage Enterprise, versions prior to 4.8.0, contains an Improper Input Validation vulnerability. A low privileged attacker with adjacent network access could potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to Code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/30/2026
The identified security flaw resides within Dell OpenManage Enterprise software in versions preceding the release of version 4.8.0. This enterprise-grade management platform is designed to provide centralized monitoring and configuration capabilities for a wide array of Dell hardware infrastructure components. The specific vulnerability classified as Improper Input Validation represents a critical failure in the application's ability to properly sanitize or verify user-supplied data before processing it. In secure software architecture, input validation serves as the first line of defense against malicious payloads injected by attackers attempting to manipulate program logic or access unauthorized resources. When this mechanism is deficient, the system fails to distinguish between legitimate operational commands and potentially harmful code structures embedded within standard inputs.
The technical nature of this flaw allows a low-privileged attacker who possesses adjacent network access to exploit the vulnerability effectively. Adjacent network access implies that the threat actor does not necessarily need direct administrative privileges or remote shell access but merely needs connectivity on the same local network segment as the vulnerable server. By crafting specific requests containing malformed or specially constructed input data, an attacker can trigger a condition where the application processes this invalid information in an unsafe manner. This often leads to memory corruption, logic bypasses, or injection of executable code into the process space of the running service. The consequence of such exploitation is remote code execution, which grants the attacker the ability to run arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system with the privileges associated with the vulnerable application's user context.
The operational impact of achieving remote code execution through this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching within an enterprise environment. Since Dell OpenManage Enterprise typically runs with elevated permissions to manage hardware components such as servers, storage arrays, and network switches, successful exploitation could allow an attacker to gain significant control over the management infrastructure. This access can be leveraged to exfiltrate sensitive configuration data, modify firmware settings, disrupt service availability by stopping critical management services, or pivot further into other parts of the internal network that are protected only by perimeter defenses. The ability for a low-privileged user to escalate their influence through this input validation failure undermines the principle of least privilege and compromises the integrity and confidentiality of the entire managed environment.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration identifier CWE-20, which denotes Improper Input Validation. This category encompasses failures where software does not adequately verify that incoming data meets expected format, type, length, or range constraints before processing. Furthermore, in terms of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this exploitation path is consistent with techniques involving Command and Scripting Interpreter execution via injection vulnerabilities, often categorized under initial access or privilege escalation vectors depending on the specific implementation details of how code execution is achieved. The attack vector requires network adjacency but does not require high-level credentials initially, making it a significant risk for internal threat actors or attackers who have breached perimeter defenses to reach adjacent subnets.
Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate patching and rigorous input validation practices. Organizations running Dell OpenManage Enterprise versions prior to 4.8.0 should apply the vendor-provided update as soon as possible to remediate this flaw at its source. Until patches are applied, network segmentation controls can be implemented to restrict access to the management interface from untrusted or less secure adjacent networks. Additionally, deploying intrusion detection systems that monitor for anomalous HTTP requests or malformed data patterns targeting the OpenManage endpoints may help detect exploitation attempts in real-time. Security teams should also enforce strict least-privilege policies for all accounts with network adjacency to these servers, ensuring that even if an attacker gains initial foothold through other means, their ability to exploit this specific input validation flaw is limited by reduced permissions and enhanced monitoring of administrative actions.