CVE-2025-30477 identifies a vulnerability in Dell PowerScale OneFS, a scale-out NAS storage operating system widely used in enterprise environments for managing large-scale data storage. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-327, which pertains to the use of broken or risky cryptographic algorithms. Specifically, versions of PowerScale OneFS prior to 9.11.0.0 utilize a cryptographic algorithm considered insecure by modern standards. This weakness could be exploited by an attacker with high-level privileges and remote access to the system. The exploitation does not require user interaction but does require the attacker to already have elevated privileges, which might be obtained through other means. The primary impact of this vulnerability is information disclosure, meaning sensitive data protected by the weak cryptography could be exposed to unauthorized parties. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.4 (medium severity), reflecting the requirement for high privileges and the lack of impact on integrity or availability. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches are linked yet, indicating that mitigation may rely on upgrading to version 9.11.0.0 or later once available. The vulnerability highlights the risk of relying on outdated cryptographic algorithms that can be broken or weakened by advances in cryptanalysis or computational power, potentially undermining confidentiality guarantees in critical storage systems.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be significant, especially for industries relying heavily on data confidentiality such as finance, healthcare, government, and telecommunications. PowerScale OneFS is often deployed in data centers and cloud environments where large volumes of sensitive data are stored and accessed. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized disclosure of confidential information, intellectual property, or personal data protected under GDPR, resulting in regulatory penalties and reputational damage. Since the vulnerability requires high privileges, the risk is somewhat mitigated by existing access controls; however, if an attacker can escalate privileges or gain administrative access through other vulnerabilities or insider threats, this cryptographic weakness could be leveraged to extract sensitive data undetected. The lack of impact on integrity and availability means the system’s operations may continue normally, potentially delaying detection of the breach. European organizations with compliance requirements for strong encryption standards may face challenges ensuring their data protection measures meet legal obligations until the vulnerability is remediated.

To mitigate this vulnerability effectively, European organizations should: 1) Prioritize upgrading Dell PowerScale OneFS to version 9.11.0.0 or later as soon as the patch becomes available, ensuring the replacement of the broken cryptographic algorithm with a secure alternative. 2) Conduct thorough privilege audits and tighten access controls to minimize the number of users with high-level privileges, reducing the attack surface. 3) Implement network segmentation and strict firewall rules to limit remote access to management interfaces of PowerScale systems. 4) Monitor logs and network traffic for unusual access patterns or data exfiltration attempts that could indicate exploitation attempts. 5) Employ data encryption at rest and in transit using independent, validated cryptographic solutions where possible, adding defense-in-depth beyond the vulnerable built-in algorithms. 6) Train security teams to recognize signs of privilege escalation and cryptographic misuse. 7) Engage with Dell support and subscribe to security advisories to stay informed about patches and mitigation updates. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on privilege management, network controls, and layered encryption strategies tailored to the specific nature of this vulnerability.