Description

Dell SCG 5.0 Appliance versions prior to 5.36.00.16 and Dell SCG 5.0 Application versions prior to 5.36.00.00, contains an Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key vulnerability. An unauthenticated attacker with remote access could potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to unauthorized access.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "4.4",
  "pubDate": "2026-09-09T14:17:17.170Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-09-09T14:17:17.170Z",
  "executiveSummary": "Dell Secure Connect Gateway (SCG) 5.0 is susceptible to a Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key vulnerability. This flaw involves the embedding of static cryptographic material directly into the application code or configuration, which significantly undermines the security posture of the appliance. An unauthenticated, remote attacker can leverage this static key to bypass cryptographic protections, potentially leading to unauthorized access, interception of sensitive data, or compromise of system integrity.\nThe vulnerability affects Dell SCG 5.0 Appliance versions prior to 5.36.00.16 and Dell SCG 5.0 Application versions prior to 5.36.00.00. Given that the key is static and potentially discoverable through reverse engineering or extraction from the firmware, the risk of exploitation is elevated. Successful exploitation allows an attacker to decrypt protected communications or forge authentication tokens, necessitating immediate remediation to maintain the security of the management environment.",
  "technicalDetails": "The vulnerability resides in the cryptographic implementation of Dell SCG 5.0, where a static or hard-coded key is utilized for sensitive cryptographic operations. Hard-coded cryptographic keys present a critical security flaw because they are non-revocable and universally consistent across all installations of a specific software version. Because the key is integrated into the binary or deployment package rather than derived through secure, unique, or user-defined methods, it is subject to discovery by unauthorized parties.\nThe root cause is the reliance on a predefined key for sensitive operations, such as establishing encrypted tunnels, securing sensitive data at rest, or generating session-based tokens. From an architectural perspective, the hard-coded secret acts as a single point of failure. An attacker gaining access to the appliance firmware or the application binary can reverse engineer the software to extract the plaintext key using static analysis techniques, such as identifying constant strings or cryptographic initializations within the execution flow.\nThe attack flow for this vulnerability involves three primary phases: extraction, derivation, and exploitation. First, an attacker obtains the target binary or firmware image, typically available through public update repositories. Second, by performing static analysis or binary auditing, the attacker isolates the cryptographic routine and extracts the hard-coded key. Third, utilizing this static key, the attacker can conduct remote, unauthenticated operations. For instance, if the key is used to sign authentication tokens, the attacker can forge their own tokens to gain administrative access without prior authentication. Alternatively, if the key is used to encrypt communication channels, the attacker can decrypt sensitive configuration data or intercept administrative traffic in transit, facilitating man-in-the-middle attacks.\nBecause this vulnerability does not require authentication, the attack vector is characterized by its high accessibility via network-exposed management interfaces. The impact extends beyond simple data disclosure; the compromise of a cryptographic master key effectively invalidates the entire trust model of the appliance. Post-exploitation, an attacker can achieve full control over the affected SCG instance, potentially leveraging the appliance as a pivot point for further lateral movement within the production network."
}