# CVE-2026-78486: Dell SCG 5.0 hard-coded cryptographic key

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-78486-dell-scg-5-0-hard-coded-cryptographic-key  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-09-09. Updated: 2026-09-26  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-78486 · Severity: medium · CVSS 4.4 · Published 2026-09-09

Dell Secure Connect Gateway (SCG) is a critical appliance and application used to manage secure remote access to corporate networks. A hard-coded cryptographic key vulnerability in versions prior to 5.36 allows unauthenticated attackers with network access to decrypt sensitive communications and bypass encryption protections, potentially exposing customer data and enabling unauthorized system access.

Technologies: [Dell Secure Connect Gateway 5.0 Appliance](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/secure-connect-gateway-5-0-appliance), [Dell Secure Connect Gateway 5.0 Application](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/secure-connect-gateway-5-0-application). Vendors: [Dell](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/dell).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-78486 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-78486 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-78486?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 4.4, published 9 September 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Dell Secure Connect Gateway 5.0 Appliance prior to 5.36.00.16; Dell Secure Connect Gateway 5.0 Application prior to 5.36.00.00.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-78486?** 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-2026-78486 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a network appliance.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-78486?** Check whether you run Dell Secure Connect Gateway 5.0 Appliance or Dell Secure Connect Gateway 5.0 Application 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

The vulnerability is a use of hard-coded cryptographic key (CWE-321) in Dell SCG 5.0 Appliance versions prior to 5.36.00.16 and Application versions prior to 5.36.00.00. An unauthenticated attacker with network reachability to the device can exploit this flaw by leveraging the embedded cryptographic key to decrypt sensitive data or forge valid authentication tokens. The attack requires no user interaction or authentication. Dell has released patches in versions 5.36.00.16 (Appliance) and 5.36.00.00 (Application) to address this vulnerability.

## Affected products

- Dell Secure Connect Gateway 5.0 Appliance prior to 5.36.00.16
- Dell Secure Connect Gateway 5.0 Application prior to 5.36.00.00

## Timeline

- 2026-09-09: disclosed

## References

- [https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-in/000503426/dsa-2026-382-security-update-for-dell-secure-connect-gateway-virtual-edition-multiple-vulnerabilities](https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-in/000503426/dsa-2026-382-security-update-for-dell-secure-connect-gateway-virtual-edition-multiple-vulnerabilities)

## Related threats

- [Dell SCG 5.0 cross-site scripting in alternate XSS syntax](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-79946-dell-scg-5-0-cross-site-scripting-in-alternate-xss-syntax)
- [Dell Secure Connect Gateway command injection vulnerability](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-79741-dell-secure-connect-gateway-command-injection-vulnerability)
- [Dell Secure Connect Gateway OS command injection](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-78484-dell-secure-connect-gateway-os-command-injection)
- [Dell Secure Connect Gateway command injection](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-79941-dell-secure-connect-gateway-command-injection)
- [Dell Secure Connect Gateway improper neutralization of escape sequences](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-79964-dell-secure-connect-gateway-improper-neutralization-of-escape)