CVE-2025-45378 is an OS command injection vulnerability classified under CWE-78 affecting Dell CloudLink versions 8.0 through 8.1.2. The vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of special elements in the restricted shell environment, allowing a privileged user who knows the password to break out of the restricted shell and execute arbitrary OS commands on the CloudLink server. This leads to privilege escalation and unauthorized system access. The attack vector is network-based via SSH if enabled with web credentials, meaning an attacker with valid privileged credentials can remotely exploit this flaw without requiring additional user interaction. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.1, indicating critical severity with high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The scope is changed (S:C) as the vulnerability affects components beyond the initially vulnerable subsystem. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the ease of exploitation combined with the critical impact makes this a significant threat. Dell CloudLink is used in enterprise environments for secure cloud connectivity, so exploitation could compromise sensitive data and disrupt operations. The vulnerability was reserved in April 2025 and published in November 2025, but no patches are currently linked, emphasizing the need for immediate mitigation steps.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a severe risk due to the potential for full system compromise, data breaches, and operational disruption. Enterprises using Dell CloudLink for secure cloud access could see unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information, loss of data integrity, and denial of service if attackers leverage this flaw. Critical infrastructure sectors such as finance, healthcare, and government that rely on Dell CloudLink for secure communications are particularly vulnerable. The ability to exploit remotely via SSH with known credentials increases the attack surface, especially if credential hygiene is poor or if privileged credentials are reused or leaked. The impact extends beyond individual systems as attackers could pivot within networks after initial compromise, potentially affecting broader organizational assets and services. This could lead to regulatory compliance violations under GDPR due to unauthorized access and data exposure.

1. Immediately restrict SSH access to Dell CloudLink servers to trusted IP addresses and networks only, using firewall rules and network segmentation. 2. Enforce strong, unique passwords for all privileged accounts and implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) where possible to reduce risk from credential compromise. 3. Monitor authentication logs and shell access logs for unusual or unauthorized activity indicative of exploitation attempts. 4. Disable SSH access if not required or use alternative secure management methods that do not expose web credentials. 5. Apply principle of least privilege to limit the number of users with privileged access to CloudLink servers. 6. Regularly audit and rotate privileged credentials to minimize exposure window. 7. Stay alert for Dell’s official patches or updates addressing this vulnerability and apply them promptly once available. 8. Conduct penetration testing and vulnerability assessments focused on CloudLink deployments to identify any exploitation attempts or configuration weaknesses. 9. Implement network intrusion detection systems (NIDS) tuned to detect command injection patterns or anomalous shell commands. 10. Educate administrators on the risks of credential reuse and the importance of secure access controls.