CVE-2025-46699 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-1336, which pertains to improper neutralization of special elements used in a template engine within Dell Data Protection Advisor server versions prior to 19.12. This flaw arises because the template engine fails to adequately sanitize or neutralize special characters or elements that are processed during template rendering. As a result, a low-privileged attacker who has remote access to the server can craft malicious input that the template engine processes improperly, leading to unauthorized information disclosure. The vulnerability does not require user interaction and does not affect the integrity or availability of the system, focusing solely on confidentiality breaches. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.3, indicating a medium severity level, with attack vector as network, low attack complexity, and requiring low privileges but no user interaction. No public exploits or proof-of-concept code have been reported to date. The vulnerability could allow attackers to glean sensitive configuration or operational data from the Data Protection Advisor server, potentially aiding in further targeted attacks or reconnaissance. Since Dell Data Protection Advisor is used for monitoring and managing data protection environments, exposure of such information could have operational security implications. The vulnerability was reserved in April 2025 and published in January 2026, with no patch links currently available, indicating that remediation may be pending or in progress.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-46699 is the potential exposure of sensitive information managed or processed by Dell Data Protection Advisor servers. This could include configuration details, backup schedules, or other operational metadata that attackers could leverage to plan more sophisticated attacks or gain unauthorized access to protected data. While the vulnerability does not directly compromise data integrity or availability, information disclosure can undermine organizational security posture and compliance with data protection regulations such as GDPR. Enterprises relying heavily on Dell Data Protection Advisor for backup and recovery management may face increased risk of targeted attacks if attackers exploit this vulnerability to gather intelligence. The medium severity rating reflects that while the impact is limited to confidentiality, the ease of exploitation and remote attack vector increase the threat level. Organizations with remote access enabled to these servers without strict network controls are particularly vulnerable. Additionally, the lack of known exploits in the wild suggests a window of opportunity for proactive mitigation before widespread exploitation occurs.

To mitigate CVE-2025-46699, European organizations should take the following specific actions: 1) Monitor Dell’s official security advisories closely and apply patches or updates for Data Protection Advisor as soon as they become available, prioritizing versions prior to 19.12. 2) Restrict remote network access to the Data Protection Advisor server by implementing network segmentation and firewall rules that limit access to trusted management networks or VPNs only. 3) Employ strict access controls and least privilege principles for users interacting with the Data Protection Advisor server to minimize the risk posed by low-privileged attackers. 4) Conduct regular security audits and configuration reviews of the Data Protection Advisor environment to detect any anomalous access or information leakage attempts. 5) Consider deploying web application firewalls or intrusion detection systems capable of detecting suspicious template injection or unusual request patterns targeting the server. 6) Educate IT and security teams about the nature of template injection vulnerabilities and the importance of sanitizing inputs in custom templates or scripts if applicable. 7) Maintain comprehensive logging and monitoring to quickly identify exploitation attempts and respond accordingly. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on network-level controls, patch prioritization, and operational security hygiene specific to the affected product and vulnerability type.