Description

Dell Command Update (DCU), versions prior to 5.7.1, contain an Incorrect Default Permissions vulnerability. A low privileged attacker with local access could potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to Filesystem access for attacker.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "7.8",
  "pubDate": "2026-08-19T15:17:12.980Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-08-19T15:17:12.980Z",
  "executiveSummary": "Dell Command Update (DCU) versions prior to 5.7.1 suffer from an Incorrect Default Permissions vulnerability. This security flaw introduces significant risk implications by potentially granting unauthorized filesystem access to malicious actors. The vulnerability resides within the application's implementation of access controls, specifically concerning insufficiently restricted permissions assigned to sensitive directories, files, or execution resources during or after installation.\nTo successfully exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must possess low privileges and local access to the target host system. No remote network vector is inherently required, positioning this as a local privilege escalation or resource manipulation vector. Upon successful exploitation, the adversary can leverage the overly permissive filesystem defaults to read, modify, or replace critical application assets or data. This condition compromises the integrity and confidentiality of the local system environment, allowing low-privileged users to interact with files or resources that should otherwise be restricted to higher-integrity administrative contexts. Organizations deploying the affected software face heightened exposure to local system compromise if remediation steps are not promptly implemented.",
  "technicalDetails": "The root cause of the vulnerability stems from insecure discretionary access control lists (DACLs) or improperly configured file and directory permissions established by Dell Command Update (DCU) prior to version 5.7.1. During installation or operational execution, the application fails to enforce restrictive security descriptors on its local component files or working directories, granting write or modify access to standard unprivileged user accounts.\nThe vulnerable component involves the filesystem artifacts managed by Dell Command Update (DCU), encompassing binaries, configuration files, or temporary working directories utilized during updates. Because authentication requirements for interacting with these improperly secured local objects are negligible beyond standard local OS logon, any local user account can access the targeted resources.\nThe attack flow proceeds as follows: First, an attacker establishes a low-privileged interactive or programmatic session on the local host where Dell Command Update (DCU) is installed. Second, the attacker enumerates the installation directory or associated file paths utilized by the application, identifying weak access permissions that allow modification or unauthorized reading by non-administrative entities. Third, the attacker exploits these incorrect default permissions by substituting legitimate application binaries, intercepting data flows, or injecting malicious payloads into paths executed or referenced by the software or its associated privileged services.\nThe post-exploitation impact of this vulnerability centers on arbitrary filesystem access. Depending on how the application interacts with the compromised files, an attacker could achieve local privilege escalation, arbitrary code execution within a higher privilege context, or the exfiltration of sensitive operational data. The affected versions strictly comprise all iterations of Dell Command Update (DCU) prior to version 5.7.1."
}