CVE-2024-22454 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting Dell PowerProtect Data Manager versions 19.15 and earlier. The vulnerability stems from a weak password recovery mechanism for forgotten passwords, classified under CWE-640 (Weak Password Recovery Mechanism). Specifically, a remote unauthenticated attacker can exploit this flaw to retrieve the reset password token without authorization. This token is critical because it allows the attacker to perform a password reset for any user account, thereby gaining unauthorized access with the privileges of the compromised account. The vulnerability requires no prior authentication but does require user interaction (triggering the password reset process). The CVSS v3.1 score is 8.8, reflecting the vulnerability’s high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as well as its ease of exploitation over the network. The scope remains unchanged (S:U), meaning the attacker’s privileges do not escalate beyond the compromised account. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability’s nature and severity make it a significant risk, especially in environments where PowerProtect Data Manager is used to manage critical backup and data protection operations. The absence of published patches at the time of reporting increases the urgency for mitigation.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be severe. Dell PowerProtect Data Manager is widely used in enterprise environments for backup, recovery, and data protection. Unauthorized access to this system could allow attackers to manipulate backup data, disrupt recovery processes, or exfiltrate sensitive information. This could lead to data loss, prolonged downtime, and potential regulatory non-compliance, especially under GDPR, which mandates strict data protection controls. The ability to reset passwords without authorization undermines trust in the system’s security and could facilitate lateral movement within networks if attackers leverage compromised credentials to access other systems. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure are particularly at risk due to the sensitive nature of the data managed by PowerProtect. The high CVSS score indicates that the vulnerability could lead to full compromise of affected accounts, impacting confidentiality, integrity, and availability of backup data and associated services.

Immediate mitigation steps should include: 1) Restricting access to the PowerProtect Data Manager password recovery interface via network segmentation and firewall rules to limit exposure to trusted IP addresses only. 2) Implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all accounts, especially administrative and privileged users, to reduce the risk of unauthorized access even if password reset tokens are compromised. 3) Monitoring logs for unusual password reset requests or token retrieval attempts to detect potential exploitation attempts early. 4) Applying any available vendor patches or updates as soon as they are released by Dell. 5) Temporarily disabling the password recovery feature if feasible until a patch is available. 6) Educating users and administrators about the risk and encouraging strong password policies. 7) Reviewing and tightening account lockout policies to prevent brute force attempts on password reset mechanisms. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice by focusing on controlling access to the vulnerable functionality and enhancing detection capabilities.