Full Report
Dell security advisory (AV26-959)
Analysis Summary
# Vulnerability: Multiple Vulnerabilities in Dell Client Management Tools
## CVE Details
*Note: Specific CVE IDs and CVSS scores were not explicitly detailed in the provided Canadian Cyber Centre bulletin (AV26-959), but are categorized by Dell Security Advisory (DSA) IDs below.*
* **DSA-2026-379:** Credential Theft via PowerShell Event Log
* **DSA-2026-380:** Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource
* **DSA-2026-381:** Unquoted Search Path or Element Vulnerability
## Affected Systems
* **Dell Command | PowerShell Provider (DCPP):** Versions prior to 2.10.2
* **Dell Command | Monitor (DCM):** Versions prior to 10.13.2
* **Dell Inventory Collector Client:** Versions prior to 15.0.0
* **Dell SupportAssist for PCs (Home and Business):** All versions prior to the September 2026 updates
* **Dell Optimizer / Dell Trusted Device / Dell Command | Update:** Specific versions used in conjunction with Inventory Collector Client 15.0.0
## Vulnerability Description
This advisory covers three distinct technical flaws:
1. **Credential Theft (DCPP):** Sensitive credentials may be inadvertently logged in plaintext within PowerShell Event Logs, allowing a local attacker with log access to harvest account information.
2. **Incorrect Permissions (DCM):** Critical system resources (files or registry keys) are assigned weak permissions, potentially allowing unauthorized users to modify system configurations or escalate privileges.
3. **Unquoted Search Path (SupportAssist/Optimizer):** A service or executable path contains spaces and lacks quotation marks. This allows a local attacker to place a malicious executable (e.g., `program.exe`) in the path to be executed with SYSTEM privileges.
## Exploitation
* **Status:** Not exploited (No reports of active exploitation in the wild as of the advisory date).
* **Complexity:** Low to Medium.
* **Attack Vector:** Local (Most of these flaws require existing access to the machine to exploit log files or file paths).
## Impact
* **Confidentiality:** High (Credential theft and access to system resources).
* **Integrity:** High (Ability to modify critical resources or execute malicious code).
* **Availability:** Medium (Potential for system instability if critical resources are altered).
## Remediation
### Patches
Dell recommends updating to the following versions or later:
* **Dell Command | PowerShell Provider:** v2.10.2
* **Dell Command | Monitor:** v10.13.2
* **Dell Inventory Collector Client:** v15.0.0 (Updates for SupportAssist and Dell Optimizer often bundle this component).
### Workarounds
* **PowerShell Logs:** Administrators should clear existing PowerShell event logs after patching to remove previously cached credentials.
* **Permissions:** Restrict local user access to administrative logs and sensitive directories.
## Detection
* **Indicators of Compromise:** Presence of unauthorized executables in root directories (e.g., `C:\Program.exe`); unusual entries in PowerShell Event Logs (Event ID 4104); unauthorized modifications to Dell service registry keys.
* **Detection methods:** Use Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) tools to monitor for "Unquoted Service Path" exploitation attempts and unusual child processes spawned by Dell management services.
## References
* Dell Security Advisory DSA-2026-379: hxxps[://]www[.]dell[.]com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000502472/dsa-2026-379
* Dell Security Advisory DSA-2026-380: hxxps[://]www[.]dell[.]com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000502473/dsa-2026-380
* Dell Security Advisory DSA-2026-381: hxxps[://]www[.]dell[.]com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000502474/dsa-2026-381
* Cyber Centre Bulletin AV26-959: hxxps[://]www[.]cyber[.]gc[.]ca/en/alerts-advisories/dell-security-advisory-av26-959