Understanding the Recent Dell Unisphere for PowerMax 10.2 Vulnerabilities
CVE-2026-26358, CVE-2026-26359, CVE-2026-26360
Enterprise storage systems sit at the heart of modern infrastructure. When the management layer of those systems has security weaknesses, the impact can ripple across entire data centers. Recently, three high-severity vulnerabilities were disclosed in Dell Unisphere for PowerMax version 10.2, the web-based interface used to manage PowerMax storage arrays.
Let’s walk through what these issues are, what them mean in practical terms, and why they matter.
The Affected Product
Dell Unisphere for PowerMax is the centralized management interface for PowerMax storage arrays. Administrators use it to:
- Provision and manage storage volumes
- Configure replication
- Monitor performance
- Manage system settings
- Control access and permissions
Because it’s the control plane for enterprise storage, weaknesses here are especially sensitive.
CVE-2026-26358: Missing Authorization Vulnerability
Severity: High (CVSS 8.8)
This vulnerability is an access control issue. In simple terms, the system does not properly verify whether a logged-in user is allowed to perform certain actions.
What that means
A user with low-level privileges could potentially:
- Access functionality meant for administrators
- View sensitive configuration data
- Modify system settings
- Interact with storage resources beyond their role
This is not about breaking authentication. The attacker must already be logged in. The problem is that the application may fail to enforce role-based restrictions correctly.
Why it’s serious
Unisphere manages mission-critical storage infrastructure. If authorization checks are incomplete or missing, attackers can move beyond their assigned privileges and potentially impact confidentiality, integrity, and availability of enterprise systems.
CVE-2026-26359: External Control of File Name or Path – Arbitrary File Overwrite
Severity: High (CVSS 8.8)
This vulnerability falls under improper file path validation. The application may accept user-controlled input when writing files, without properly restricting where those files can be placed.
What that means
A low-privileged attacker with remote access could potentially:
- Overwrite arbitrary files on the system
- Replace configuration files
- Modify application data
- Disrupt application functionality
Overwriting files is often more dangerous than deleting them. In certain cases, replacing specific files can lead to broader system compromise, depending on what files are accessible.
CVE-2026-26360: External Control of File Name or Path – Arbitrary File Deletion
Severity: High (CVSS 8.1)
This issue is closely related to CVE-2026-26359 but involves deletion rather than overwrite.
What that means
A low-privileged remote attacker could potentially:
- Delete arbitrary files
- Remove configuration or operational data
- Disrupt service functionality
- Interfere with logging mechanisms
While deletion does not automatically grant deeper access, it can cause denial of service and operational instability.
Understanding the CVSS Scores
Both CVE-2026-26358 and CVE-2026-26359 are rated 8.8 (High), while CVE-2026-26360 is rated 8.1 (High). The common characteristics include:
- Exploitable over the network
- Low attack complexity
- Low privileges required
- No user interaction required
- High impact to system integrity and availability
In practical terms, these are not theoretical edge cases. They are remotely exploitable issues that could be leveraged by authenticated users with minimal privileges.
Why These Vulnerabilities Matter in Real Environments
PowerMax systems are commonly deployed in:
- Financial institutions
- Healthcare environments
- Large enterprise data centers
- Cloud and virtualization platforms
If the management layer is compromised, attackers may not need to attack the storage arrays directly. Instead, they could manipulate the system through its administrative interface.
The combination of authorization bypass, arbitrary file overwrite, and arbitrary file deletion creates a broader risk profile than any single issue alone.
Defensive Considerations
If you operate Unisphere for PowerMax:
- Apply vendor patches or updates as soon as they are available.
- Restrict network access to management interfaces.
- Limit exposure to trusted IP ranges or management VLANs only.
- Enforce strong authentication policies and least-privilege access.
- Monitor logs for unusual file activity or unauthorized actions.
Management interfaces should never be broadly exposed to untrusted networks.