CVE-2026-23856 is an improper access control vulnerability (CWE-284) found in Dell's iDRAC Service Module (iSM), a management tool installed on Windows and Linux servers to facilitate remote server management via the Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC). The vulnerability exists in iSM versions prior to 6.0.3.1 for Windows and 5.4.1.1 for Linux. It allows a low-privileged attacker with local access to escalate privileges on the host system. This escalation occurs because the iSM improperly restricts access to sensitive functions or resources, enabling unauthorized privilege elevation. The CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8 reflects high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with low attack complexity and no user interaction required. Although no known exploits have been reported in the wild, the vulnerability poses a significant risk in environments where local access is possible, such as shared hosting, data centers, or compromised internal networks. The vulnerability could allow attackers to gain administrative control, potentially leading to full system compromise, data theft, or disruption of critical services. The lack of available patches at the time of reporting necessitates immediate attention to access controls and monitoring.

For European organizations, especially those operating data centers, cloud services, or critical infrastructure relying on Dell servers with iDRAC Service Module, this vulnerability presents a serious risk. An attacker with local access—such as a malicious insider, contractor, or attacker who has gained foothold through other means—could escalate privileges to administrative levels. This could lead to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion, disruption of server management functions, and potential lateral movement within networks. The impact is heightened in sectors like finance, healthcare, telecommunications, and government, where data confidentiality and system availability are paramount. Additionally, the vulnerability could undermine trust in managed services and complicate compliance with EU data protection regulations such as GDPR if exploited. The absence of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive defense, but the high severity score indicates urgent remediation is necessary to prevent potential exploitation.

1. Immediately restrict local access to servers running Dell iDRAC Service Module to trusted personnel only, employing strict physical and logical access controls. 2. Monitor and audit local user activities on affected systems to detect any suspicious privilege escalation attempts. 3. Apply the official patches or updates from Dell as soon as they become available for iSM versions 6.0.3.1 (Windows) and 5.4.1.1 (Linux) or later. 4. If patches are not yet available, consider temporarily disabling the iDRAC Service Module where feasible or isolating affected systems from untrusted users. 5. Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to identify anomalous behaviors indicative of privilege escalation. 6. Review and harden server configurations and access policies to minimize the attack surface. 7. Educate system administrators and security teams about this vulnerability and the importance of local access controls. 8. Maintain an incident response plan to quickly address any exploitation attempts.