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CriticalVulnerabilityCVE-2026-86397updated 28 Oct 2026, 12:25 UTC

Dell PowerProtect Data Domain: unauthenticated attacker can create admin accounts

Attackers on the network could log in without a password and create new privileged accounts, giving them full control of the backup storage system. Updating the software closes this hole.

Official, 2 sources
SeverityCriticalCVSS 9.8 of 10
Being exploited?UnclearNo reports either way yet
Fix available?UnclearNo fixed version published in the sources yet
How sure is this?Official, 2 sourcesBacked by an official source

How the attack works simplified

  1. 1Remote attackerNo login credentials required
  2. 2Reaches deviceVia remote network access
  3. 3Auth bypassImproper authentication check fails
  4. 4Admin account createdPrivileged account added silently
  5. ResultAttacker gains full control of the system

What happened

Dell PowerProtect Data Domain systems contain an improper authentication flaw that lets an unauthenticated remote attacker create privileged accounts.

Why it is dangerous: An attacker gaining privileged access could take complete control of the backup appliance, threatening stored backup data and recovery capability. Any organization running affected versions with remote access is at risk.

Are you affected?

You are affected if you run Dell PowerProtect Data Domain Feature Release 7.7.1.0 through 8.8, LTS2024 7.13.1.0 through 7.13.1.80, LTS2025 8.3.1.0 through 8.3.1.40, or LTS2026 8.6.1.0 through 8.6.1.20.

Feature Release 7.7.1.0 through 8.8; LTS2024 7.13.1.0 through 7.13.1.80; LTS2025 8.3.1.0 through 8.3.1.40; LTS2026 8.6.1.0 through 8.6.1.20

What to do

  1. Identify Data Domain systems running the affected version ranges listed above
  2. Upgrade to a fixed release as soon as possible, following Dell's guidance
  3. Restrict remote management access to trusted networks until the upgrade is complete
  4. Review user accounts on the system for any unexpected privileged accounts

Timeline

  1. 28 Oct 2026, 09:17 UTC
    Publicly disclosed
  2. 28 Oct 2026, 09:17 UTC
    Reported by NVD · NVD
  3. 28 Oct 2026, 09:18 UTC
    Picked up by Zero Radar
  4. 28 Oct 2026, 12:25 UTC
    GitHub Advisory reported on it · GitHub Advisory

Sources 2 reports, oldest first

Official vendor, government CERT or advisory database

Technical details

ID
CVE-2026-86397 · GHSA-gvg7-47g3-qv5v
CVSS
9.8 / 10
EPSS
0.3% chance of exploitation within 30 days
Disclosed
28 Oct 2026, 09:17 UTC
On Zero Radar
28 Oct 2026, 09:18 UTC (2 min after disclosure)
Last change
28 Oct 2026, 12:25 UTC

The plain-language parts and the attack diagram were written by an AI model (anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5) from the sources above. Facts like versions, exploitation and dates come from the sources themselves. How Zero Radar works

Dell PowerProtect Data Domain: unauthenticated attacker can create admin accounts · Zero Radar