CVE-2025-30096 is an OS command injection vulnerability identified in Dell PowerProtect Data Domain systems running specific versions of the Data Domain Operating System (DD OS). The affected versions include Feature Release versions 7.7.1.0 through 8.1.0.10, LTS2024 releases 7.13.1.0 through 7.13.1.25, and LTS2023 releases 7.10.1.0 through 7.10.1.50. The vulnerability resides in the DDSH CLI (Data Domain Shell Command Line Interface), where improper neutralization of special elements in OS commands allows a high-privileged attacker with local access to execute arbitrary commands with root privileges. This means that if an attacker already has elevated privileges on the system, they can exploit this flaw to escalate their control further, potentially compromising the entire system. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-78, indicating improper sanitization of inputs that are passed to OS commands. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.7, rated medium severity, with attack vector Local (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), high privileges required (PR:H), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). No known exploits in the wild have been reported yet, and no patches are linked in the provided data, indicating that remediation may require vendor updates or configuration changes once available. The vulnerability's exploitation requires local access with high privileges, which limits remote exploitation but poses a significant risk if an attacker gains such access through other means (e.g., insider threat, lateral movement).

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be significant, especially for those relying on Dell PowerProtect Data Domain systems for backup and data protection. Successful exploitation could lead to full system compromise, allowing attackers to manipulate backup data, disrupt data integrity, or disable backup services, which are critical for business continuity and disaster recovery. This could result in data loss, extended downtime, and potential regulatory non-compliance, particularly under GDPR where data integrity and availability are paramount. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure, which heavily depend on reliable backup solutions, could face severe operational and reputational damage. The requirement for local high-privileged access reduces the likelihood of remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk, as attackers who gain initial footholds through phishing, credential theft, or insider actions could leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and compromise backup environments. Given the central role of backup systems in incident response, exploitation could also hinder recovery efforts following ransomware or other cyberattacks.

To mitigate this vulnerability effectively, European organizations should: 1) Immediately inventory and identify all Dell PowerProtect Data Domain systems running affected DD OS versions. 2) Monitor vendor communications closely for official patches or updates addressing CVE-2025-30096 and apply them promptly once available. 3) Restrict local access to the DDSH CLI strictly to trusted administrators and enforce the principle of least privilege to minimize the number of users with high privileges. 4) Implement robust endpoint security controls and monitoring to detect and prevent unauthorized local access or privilege escalation attempts. 5) Employ multi-factor authentication (MFA) for administrative access to reduce the risk of credential compromise. 6) Conduct regular audits of user activities and system logs to identify suspicious command executions or anomalous behavior within backup environments. 7) Consider network segmentation to isolate backup infrastructure from general user networks, limiting lateral movement opportunities. 8) Develop and test incident response plans that include scenarios involving backup system compromise to ensure rapid containment and recovery. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on access control hardening, proactive monitoring, and operational readiness specific to the backup environment.