CVE-2026-22276 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-312, indicating cleartext storage of sensitive information within Dell ObjectScale and Dell ECS products. Specifically, versions 3.8.1.0 through 3.8.1.7 of Dell ECS and all Dell ObjectScale versions prior to 4.2.0.0 are affected. The vulnerability arises because sensitive data is stored without encryption or adequate protection, allowing an attacker with low-level local access to read this information directly from storage. This could include credentials, tokens, or other confidential configuration data. The CVSS v3.1 score of 5.5 reflects a medium severity, with the vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N indicating that the attack requires local access and low privileges, no user interaction, and impacts confidentiality only. The vulnerability does not affect data integrity or system availability. No patches or exploit code are currently publicly available, and no known exploitation in the wild has been reported. The issue is significant in environments where local access controls are weak or where multiple users share access to the same system. This vulnerability could facilitate further attacks if sensitive credentials are disclosed, potentially leading to privilege escalation or lateral movement within an organization’s network.

For European organizations, the primary impact is the potential unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information stored by Dell ObjectScale or ECS systems. This can compromise confidentiality of critical credentials or configuration data, which may be leveraged by attackers to escalate privileges or move laterally within enterprise environments. Sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure that rely on Dell ObjectScale for object storage are particularly at risk. The requirement for local access limits remote exploitation but insider threats or attackers who gain initial footholds could exploit this vulnerability. Data privacy regulations such as GDPR impose strict requirements on protecting sensitive data, so any breach resulting from this vulnerability could lead to regulatory penalties and reputational damage. Additionally, organizations with multi-tenant or shared environments may face increased risk if local access controls are insufficient. The vulnerability does not directly impact system availability or integrity, but the confidentiality breach could be a stepping stone for more severe attacks.

1. Restrict local access strictly to trusted and authorized personnel only, employing strong access control policies and monitoring. 2. Implement full disk encryption or file-level encryption for storage locations containing sensitive information to prevent cleartext exposure. 3. Upgrade Dell ObjectScale to version 4.2.0.0 or later and Dell ECS to versions beyond 3.8.1.7 once patches are released by Dell. 4. Regularly audit and monitor access logs for unusual local access patterns or attempts to access sensitive files. 5. Employ endpoint security solutions that can detect and prevent unauthorized local access or privilege escalation attempts. 6. Segregate duties and minimize the number of users with local system access to reduce insider threat risks. 7. If immediate patching is not possible, consider isolating affected systems from untrusted users and networks. 8. Review and update security policies to ensure sensitive data is never stored in cleartext and enforce encryption standards for all sensitive information at rest.