Is CVE-2026-53481 exploited in the wild?

No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-53481 being exploited in the wild.

How severe is CVE-2026-53481?

Critical severity, with a CVSS score of 9.8, published 7 July 2026.

Which products and versions are affected?

Dell PowerProtect Data Domain 7.7.1.0 through 8.7, 8.6.1.0 through 8.6.1.10 (LTS2026), 8.3.1.0 through 8.3.1.30 (LTS2025), 7.13.1.0 through 7.13.1.70 (LTS2024).

Is there a fix for CVE-2026-53481?

No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

How is CVE-2026-53481 attacked?

It is attacked over the network, in a network appliance.

Am I affected by CVE-2026-53481?

Check whether you run Dell PowerProtect Data Domain at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

CVE-2026-53481: Dell PowerProtect Data Domain path traversal

CVE-2026-53481 · Severity: critical · CVSS 9.8 · Published 2026-07-07

Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is a storage solution used for backup, recovery, and archiving of enterprise data. A critical security flaw allows an unauthorized person to access restricted system files over the network. If exploited, an attacker could take complete control of the system, potentially leading to the theft or destruction of sensitive backup data and a total loss of system availability.

Technologies: Dell PowerProtect Data Domain. Vendors: Dell.

Quick answers

Is CVE-2026-53481 exploited in the wild?: No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-53481 being exploited in the wild.
How severe is CVE-2026-53481?: Critical severity, with a CVSS score of 9.8, published 7 July 2026.
Which products and versions are affected?: Dell PowerProtect Data Domain 7.7.1.0 through 8.7, 8.6.1.0 through 8.6.1.10 (LTS2026), 8.3.1.0 through 8.3.1.30 (LTS2025), 7.13.1.0 through 7.13.1.70 (LTS2024).
Is there a fix for CVE-2026-53481?: No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.
How is CVE-2026-53481 attacked?: It is attacked over the network, in a network appliance.
Am I affected by CVE-2026-53481?: Check whether you run Dell PowerProtect Data Domain at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

Technical details

A path traversal vulnerability (CWE-22) exists in Dell PowerProtect Data Domain due to improper limitation of pathnames to restricted directories. An unauthenticated, remote attacker can exploit this flaw by sending specially crafted requests to the system to access files outside of the intended directory. Successful exploitation can lead to unauthorized system access and full administrative control. The vulnerability affects multiple versions including the 7.7.x through 8.7 branches and several Long Term Support (LTS) releases. Dell has released security updates (e.g., 8.8.0.0, 8.6.1.20, 8.3.1.40, 7.13.1.80) to address this issue.

Affected products

Dell PowerProtect Data Domain 7.7.1.0 through 8.7, 8.6.1.0 through 8.6.1.10 (LTS2026), 8.3.1.0 through 8.3.1.30 (LTS2025), 7.13.1.0 through 7.13.1.70 (LTS2024)

Timeline

2026-07-07: advisory: Dell published security advisory DSA-2026-278
2026-07-07: disclosed

References

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000481268/dsa-2026-278-security-update-for-dell-powerprotect-data-domain-multiple-vulnerabilities

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