CVE-2025-36593 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability affecting Dell OpenManage Network Integration versions prior to 3.8. The vulnerability arises from a weakness in the implementation of the RADIUS protocol within the product, specifically enabling an attacker with local network access to perform a capture-replay attack. In this scenario, the attacker intercepts authentication messages between a client and the RADIUS server and replays a previously captured valid protocol accept message in response to a failed authentication request. This effectively allows the attacker to bypass authentication controls without needing valid credentials. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-294 (Authentication Bypass by Capture-replay), indicating that the authentication mechanism does not adequately protect against replayed messages. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 8.8, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with a vector indicating attack complexity is low, no privileges or user interaction required, but the attack requires local network access. No known exploits are reported in the wild yet, and no patches have been linked at the time of publication. This vulnerability could allow unauthorized access to network management functions, potentially enabling attackers to manipulate network configurations, disrupt operations, or exfiltrate sensitive information.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be significant, especially for enterprises and data centers relying on Dell OpenManage Network Integration for managing network infrastructure. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized administrative access, allowing attackers to alter network device configurations, disable security controls, or cause network outages. This could disrupt critical business operations, lead to data breaches, and compromise the integrity and availability of IT services. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, telecommunications, and government, which often have stringent network management requirements, may face increased risks. Additionally, the ability to bypass authentication without credentials increases the threat of insider attacks or lateral movement by attackers who have gained local network access. Given the reliance on RADIUS for authentication in many enterprise environments, this vulnerability undermines a fundamental security control, potentially affecting compliance with European data protection regulations such as GDPR if personal data is exposed or network integrity is compromised.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should prioritize upgrading Dell OpenManage Network Integration to version 3.8 or later once a patch is available. Until then, organizations should implement network segmentation to restrict access to the management network and limit local network access to trusted devices only. Deploying network-level protections such as 802.1X port-based network access control can help prevent unauthorized devices from connecting to the local network where the attack could be launched. Monitoring network traffic for unusual RADIUS messages or repeated authentication attempts can provide early detection of exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should enforce strict access controls and multi-factor authentication on management interfaces to reduce the risk of unauthorized access. Regularly auditing network device configurations and logs can help identify suspicious changes indicative of compromise. Finally, engaging with Dell support and subscribing to security advisories will ensure timely awareness of patches and updates.