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CVE-2026-22769 is a critical vulnerability in Dell RecoverPoint for Virtual Machines (RP4VMs) that stems from the presence of hardcoded credentials within the management interface. This is a static set of credentials embedded in the software that cannot be changed by the administrator. An unauthenticated remote attacker who discovers these credentials can directly access the vRPA (Virtual Recovery Management Appliance) management interface.
The attack vector is straightforward: the attacker uses the hardcoded credentials to gain initial access to the Apache Tomcat Manager service running on the vRPA. Once inside, the adversary can deploy a webshell, specifically a malicious payload known as SLAYSTYLE, via the `/manager/text/deploy` endpoint. This provides a foothold in the environment.
To maintain long-term, stealthy persistence, the attackers deploy a second-stage backdoor called GRIMBOLT. This is a sophisticated C backdoor compiled with Native AOT (Ahead-Of-Time compilation), which makes it extremely difficult for traditional Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) or Antivirus (AV) solutions to detect. GRIMBOLT employs advanced evasion techniques, such as utilizing “Ghost NICs” (secondary network interfaces) to communicate with Command & Control (C2) servers, bypassing standard gateway monitoring and logging.
The impact of this vulnerability is catastrophic due to the nature of the affected system. RP4VMs is a disaster recovery tool, and a compromise grants the attacker root-level access to the management appliance. This allows them to delete, encrypt, or exfiltrate backup data, rendering any disaster recovery plans useless. Because these systems are often considered “trusted” and are less monitored than production servers, attackers can maintain this unauthorized access for extended periods, potentially years. Dell has classified this vulnerability with a CVSS score of 10.0, the highest possible severity, and it is listed in CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
DailyCVE Form:
Platform: Dell RP4VMs
Version: < 6.0.3.1 HF1
Vulnerability : Hardcoded Credentials
Severity: Critical (10.0)
date: 2026-02-18
Prediction: 2026-02-21
What Undercode Say:
The following commands and code snippets illustrate the exploitation and analysis of this vulnerability.
Analytics
- Credential Discovery: While the hardcoded credentials are not publicly disclosed, one can use `strings` or `grep` on the appliance’s filesystem to search for potential passwords or usernames in configuration files or binaries.
grep -ri "password" /opt/EMC/
- Webshell Deployment: An attacker can use `curl` to upload a malicious WAR file (webshell) through the Tomcat Manager endpoint.
curl -u 'USERNAME:PASSWORD' \ "http://<vRPA-IP>:<port>/manager/text/deploy?path=/shell&update=true" \ --upload-file shell.war
- C2 Communication Evasion: The GRIMBOLT backdoor uses C to interact with secondary network interfaces for covert communication.
// Pseudo-code for Ghost NIC communication NetworkInterface[] nics = NetworkInterface.GetAllNetworkInterfaces(); foreach (NetworkInterface nic in nics) { if (nic.Name.Contains("Ghost") && nic.OperationalStatus == OperationalStatus.Up) { // Send C2 data via this interface } }
Exploit: (Educational Purposes!)
To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would follow these steps:
1. Reconnaissance: Identify a Dell RecoverPoint for Virtual Machines instance exposed on the network.
2. Authentication: Use the known hardcoded credentials to authenticate to the Apache Tomcat Manager service.
3. Deployment: Deploy a malicious web application (webshell) using the Tomcat Manager’s deploy function.
4. Persistence: Once the webshell is active, use it to download and execute the GRIMBOLT backdoor on the underlying operating system to ensure persistent, stealthy access.
Protection:
- Immediate Patching: Apply the vendor-supplied update to version 6.0.3.1 HF1 or later.
- Remediation Script: If an immediate upgrade is not possible, run the non-disruptive remediation script provided by Dell in DSA-2026-079.
- Log Analysis: Audit Apache Tomcat and system logs for any signs of unauthorized access or unusual file deployments.
- Network Segmentation: Ensure that RP4VMs management interfaces are not exposed to untrusted networks and are placed behind strict firewalls.
Impact:
A successful exploit leads to full system compromise with root-level access. An attacker can completely disable an organization’s disaster recovery capabilities by deleting or encrypting backups. Due to the stealthy nature of the backdoor, this access can persist for years, allowing for long-term espionage or serving as a launchpad for further attacks into the production environment. The financial and operational impact from data loss and downtime can be devastating.
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Sources:
Reported By: www.cve.org
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