CVE-2026-56088

Executive Summary

CVE-2026-56088 is a SQL injection vulnerability in Dell OpenManage Enterprise (OME), affecting all versions prior to 4.7.0. The flaw allows a low-privileged attacker with remote network access to inject arbitrary SQL commands into backend database queries, enabling unauthorized data exfiltration and potentially leading to script injection on the server. With a CVSS score of 7.1 (High), the vulnerability presents a significant confidentiality risk, though availability and integrity impacts are limited. No patch evidence has been identified from any tracked source, and no public exploits or PoC code are currently available; however, the vulnerability class is well understood and carries a high probability of weaponization.

Technical Analysis

Dell OpenManage Enterprise is a systems management console used for monitoring, provisioning, and managing Dell servers within enterprise data centers. The application provides a web-based interface that interacts with a backend SQL database to store configuration data, inventory, job statuses, and user credentials.

The vulnerability, classified under CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command), stems from insufficient input sanitization in database query construction. When the application processes certain user-supplied parameters, it concatenates — directly or with inadequate escaping — user-controlled data into SQL statements. This allows a remote attacker to break out of the intended SQL command context and inject additional SQL clauses, such as UNION-based extraction queries or error-based boolean blind queries.

The NVD description indicates that the attacker requires only low privileges (PR:L) and network access (AV:N), with no user interaction (UI:N) and no special conditions (AC:L). The scope of the impact is unchanged (S:U), meaning the compromise is localized to the vulnerable component and its immediate database back-end rather than adjacent systems.

The relationship to "Script injection" in the description suggests that on certain database management systems (DBMS), a successful SQL injection can be chained into stored procedure execution or stacked queries, allowing the attacker to write files or invoke functions that execute server-side scripts. This elevates the severity beyond a simple data exfiltration, as it may enable remote code execution under specific database server configurations.

Attack Surface:

• Web management interface of OME (HTTPS listener on standard ports)
• Authenticated endpoints accessible to low-privileged user roles
• The database back-end (likely a relational DBMS) accessible only via the OME middleware layer — network exposure direct to the DBMS is not expected.

Key Technical Considerations:

• No specific vulnerable parameters, endpoints, or function names are provided in the NVD description or CNA title — the attack surface is the entire authenticated web API surface of OME.
• The CWE-89 class is among the most documented and exploited vulnerability classes in CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog; however, CISA KEV status is NO for this CVE at the time of writing.
• The CVSS vector's ConfImpact:H and IntImpact:N confirms that read-access is the primary outcome; data tampering is not directly achievable unless the database user has elevated write privileges to authorization tables.

Exploitation Scenarios

Note: No public PoC is available; the following attack chain is inferred from the vulnerability class and the NVD description.

Stage 1 — Reconnaissance / Target Identification

An attacker with a valid low-privileged account on OME (e.g., a tricked "Viewer" or "Inventory Operator" role) identifies the web console (typically HTTPS on port 443 or 8443). Footprinting includes:

• Identifying OME version banner or readme file.
• Mapping the REST API/UI endpoints that accept parameters mirrored into SQL queries — for instance, sorting/filtering fields, search terms, or item IDs.

Stage 2 — Flaw Triggers

The attacker crafts a request to an authenticated endpoint where user input is used in a SQL WHERE or ORDER BY clause without parameterized queries. The injection point is reached by manipulating a value such as an item identifier range, a search term, or a sortable column name in a list view.

No specific parameter names are available from the description; however, common OME interfaces include device inventory listings, alert centrum, and job status views — all of which typically accept query parameters that map to database look-ups.

Stage 3 — Payload / Execution

At the vulnerability-class level, the attacker injects SQL syntax such as:

• ' OR 1=1-- to bypass authorization checks and enumerate records.
• A UNION-based payload to extract data from other database tables (e.g., credentials, job logs).
• Time-based blind SQL payloads to infer data bit-by-bit when error output is suppressed.

Given the "Script injection" descriptor, the attacker may also attempt stacked queries that invoke stored procedures capable of writing server-side files (e.g., web shells) if the DBMS sandbox allows file writes.

Stage 4 — Post-Exploitation Impact

Successful exploitation yields:

• Data Exfiltration — discovery of administrative credentials (password hashes), infrastructure zero-touch provisioning secrets, alert destinations (SMTP credentials), and managed server inventory data that could facilitate lateral movement into server fleet.
• Script Injection — if chained into file write or stored procedure invocation, the attacker could place an ASPX/PHP web shell inside the OME web root, achieving persistent remote code execution under the application pool context of OME.
• Credential Reuse Attacks — extracted account credentials can be tested against the broader enterprise domain (e.g., local admin passwords reused for servers managed by OME).

Impact Assessment

Confidentiality (HIGH per CVSS): The primary impact is unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data. OME stores hashed local administrator credentials for all managed servers, Active Directory integration settings (service account passwords), and infrastructure audit logs. A successful SQL injection can extract these databases in full, compromising the entire server fleet's administrative credential set.

Integrity (LOW per CVSS): Direct data modification via the SQL injection is considered unlikely to impact the integrity of the OME database itself — but the "Script injection" component suggests file-write capabilities that could lead to application-level integrity compromise. This is scored as LOW (A:L) in the vector, likely because of a constrained DBMS user with limited write permissions.

Availability (LOW per CVSS): Direct denial-of-service is not a primary outcome; however, destructive SQL payloads (DROP TABLE, DBCC REINDEX) could corrupt OME databases, crippling monitoring and provisioning capabilities.

Blast Radius: The OME appliance is typically a centralized management console with network visibility into all monitored servers. A full compromise of OME effectively hands the attacker control over the organization's hardware management plane, allowing subsequent firmware-level attacks, unauthorized BIOS changes, or deployment of malicious golden images.

Business Impact:

• Extended downtime as management stacks are rebuilt.
• Violation of regulatory compliance (PCI-DSS, SOX) due to credential leakage.
• Capital expenditure loss if server fleet is retired due to uncontainable compromise.

Detection Guidance

Sigma Rule

title: Dell OpenManage Enterprise - SQL Injection Attempt
id: 3f473c67-ec87-4a5c-9e0a-34f1f4a9d0c2
status: experimental
description: Detects SQL injection patterns in HTTP requests targeting Dell OpenManage Enterprise web console (CVE-2026-56088)
author: Valtersit Threat Intel
date: 2026/11/15
logsource:
  category: webserver
  product: deltower
  definition: 'OME default web server logs on ports 443 or 8443'
detection:
  selection_sqli_patterns:
    cs-method: GET|POST
    c-uri|contains:
      - "' OR"
      - "UNION SELECT"
      - "WAITFOR DELAY"
      - "SELECT SLEEP"
      - "--"
    c-uri|nocase: true
  selection_known_paths:
    c-uri|contains:
      - /api/  # Generic REST API pattern
      - /ome/
  condition: selection_sqli_patterns and selection_known_paths
falsepositives:
  - Legitimate use of SQL keywords in search strings (rare)
level: high
tags:
  - attack.t1190
  - attack.t1509  # SQL Injection
  - cve.2026-56088

YARA Rule

rule Dell_OME_SQLi_Attempt
{
    meta:
        author = "Valtersit Threat Intel"
        description = "Detection of SQL injection payloads in HTTP requests targeting Dell OpenManage Enterprise"
        cve = "CVE-2026-56088"
        date = "2026-11-15"
    strings:
        $sqli1 = "UNION SELECT" ascii nocase
        $sqli2 = "' OR '1'='1" ascii nocase
        $sqli3 = "WAITFOR DELAY" ascii nocase
        $sqli4 = "SELECT SLEEP(" ascii nocase
        $sqli5 = "1=1--" ascii nocase
        $sqli6 = "admin'--" ascii nocase
        $sqli7 = "0x" ascii     // hex-encoded payloads
    condition:
        any of ($sqli*) and filesize < 2MB
}

Suricata IDS Rule

alert http any any -> any any (
  msg:"ET EXPLOIT Dell OpenManage Enterprise SQL Injection Attempt (CVE-2026-56088)";
  flow:to_server,established;
  content:"UNION SELECT"; http_uri; nocase;
  content:"OR 1=1"; http_uri; nocase;
  reference:cve,2026-56088;
  reference:url,https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-56088;
  classtype:attempted-admin;
  sid:202688001; rev:1;
)

# Additional rule for inline SQL function attackers
alert http any any -> any any (
  msg:"ET EXPLOIT Dell OME SQLi - Stacked Query Heuristic (CVE-2026-56088)";
  flow:to_server,established;
  content:";--"; http_uri; nocase;
  content:"SELECT"; http_uri; nocase;
  content:"DROP"; http_uri; nocase;
  reference:cve,2026-56088;
  classtype:attempted-admin;
  sid:202688002; rev:1;
)

Elastic Detection

sequence by source.ip with maxspan=5m
  [ network where network.direction : "inbound" and
    network.protocol : "http" and
    process.name : "httpd" and
    url.original : (*"OR"*, *"UNION"*, *"SELECT"*, *"1=1"*, *"WAITFOR"*, *"SLEEP"*) ]
  [ network where network.direction : "inbound" and
    network.protocol : "http" and
    url.original : (*"'--"*, *";--"*, *"OR name="*)] |
  // subsequent non-200 response or duration anomaly
  | event.code : "401" or "500"

Splunk SPL Query

index=web sourcetype=dell:ome:access
((uri=*"UNION"* OR uri=*"SELECT"* OR uri=*"OR 1=1"*) OR
 (uri=*"WAITFOR"* OR uri=*"SLEEP("* OR uri=*"'--"*)) AND
 action="block" OR status>=400
| table _time, clientip, user, uri, status, method, http_user_agent
| stats count by clientip, user, method, uri | sort -count

Wazuh OSSEC Rule

<rule id="100520" level="12">
  <if_sid>31100</if_sid>
  <match>UNION SELECT|OR 1=1|WAITFOR DELAY|SLEEP\(</match>
  <regex>\d+\.\d+\.\d+\.\d+.*GET|POST.*</regex>
  <description>Possible SQL Injection attempt against Dell OpenManage Enterprise (CVE-2026-56088)</description>
  <group>sql_injection,windows,</group>
  <mitre>
    <id>T1509</id>
  </mitre>
</rule>

Mitigation & Patch Guidance

Patch Confidence: 0/4 — UNPATCHED. No vendor patch or advisory has been published by Dell for this CVE as of the report date. The affected version range (< 4.7.0) indicates the fix will be delivered in the 4.7.0 release; however, the release date and availability are unconfirmed.

1) Immediate Mitigations

• Restrict Network Access: Limit exposure of the OME web interface to trusted administrative VLANs only. Enforce allow-listing at the firewall to accept connections only from IP ranges of legitimate operations staff.
• Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): If the LDAP/AD integration supports it, require MFA for all interactive logons. This reduces the likelihood of an attacker gaining low-privileged credentials that can reach the injection points.
• Web Application Firewall (WAF) Deployment: Place a WAF in front of OME with strict rule sets blocking common SQLi payloads (OR, UNION SELECT, comment sequences) at the Layer-7 perimeter.
• Disable Unused User Roles: Audit the OME user base, remove any dormant accounts, and grant the minimum necessary permissions. Consider removing the "Viewer" role if it proves unnecessary.
• Monitor Database Logs: Enable verbose query logging on the OME database server to capture both successful and attempted injection queries — these logs can aid in detection and forensic analysis.

2) Patch/Upgrade Steps

• Upgrade to OME 4.7.0: The upgrade is the only known remediation. Dell typically provides upgrade ISO packages through the Dell Support website and via the OME Update Manager. Schedule the upgrade in a routine maintenance window, backing up the OME appliance image first.
• Verify Version: Post-upgrade, confirm version via Settings > About to ensure the instance is 4.7.0 or higher.
• Fallback: If the upgrade cannot be performed immediately, apply any interim hotfix Dell may release — monitor Dell's official security advisory page (https://www.dell.com/support/security) for CVE-2026-56088.

3) Long-Term Hardening

• Database Isolation: Configure the OME backend database to run under a least-privilege account — the account should have read-only access to inventory tables, with write permissions limited to dedicated stored procedures only. This prevents SQL injection from performing damage beyond SELECT statements.
• Input Validation Standard: Oracle — have Dell publish a hardening guide; in the interim, ensure all custom automations against the OME API use only allow-listed parameters.
• Network Segmentation: Place OME in a dedicated management zone with separate VLAN isolation from production traffic. Enforce strict egress filtering to prevent database servers from reaching the OME beyond required connections.
• Credential Hygiene: Rotate the hashed local administrator credentials stored in OME after remediation. Audit Active Directory service accounts used by OME.
• Regular Security Reviews: Subscribe to Dell's security notification mailing list and CISA bulletins to receive earliest notification of patches.

References

1. NVD Entry: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-56088
2. Dell Security Advisory (pending): https://www.dell.com/support/security — search for "OpenManage Enterprise" for future advisories; none published at the time of this report.
3. CWE-89 Reference: https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/89.html — SQL Injection weakness class description and remediation guidance.
4. MITRE ATT&CK — SQL Injection Technique: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1509/

Threat Actor Activity: No known threat actor campaigns or exploit-in-the-wild evidence have been reported for CVE-2026-56088 as of the report date. However, Dell PowerEdge server management consoles are frequently targeted by ransomware and Chinese state-sponsored hacking groups due to their deep access to BIOS and firmware; organizations running OME should treat this as a high-priority unpatched exposure and quarantine access until patching is complete.