# Dell patches Container Storage Modules flaws

Published: 2026-10-05 · Severity: routine · Sectors: technology, infrastructure
Canonical: https://vorant.io/reports/494c8509-4f07-57e7-b250-7fc16e0db2ba/dell-patches-container-storage-modules-flaws

> Dell fixed multiple vulnerabilities in Container Storage Modules that could let attackers bypass authentication, escalate privileges, and gain root access to Kubernetes cluster nodes.

NCSC-NL published an advisory describing several vulnerabilities fixed by Dell in its Container Storage Modules (CSM) and associated CSI drivers, which integrate Dell storage systems with Kubernetes and OpenShift container platforms. The weaknesses include missing authentication for a critical function, improper neutralization of template engine input (template injection), use of hard-coded credentials, and use of a hard-coded cryptographic key.

Depending on the specific flaw and an attacker's network position and privileges, exploitation could allow unauthenticated or low-privileged attackers to gain administrative access to CSM, read sensitive data such as Kubernetes Secrets, manipulate RBAC configurations, and in the most severe cases obtain root-level access to Kubernetes cluster nodes. Successful exploitation could fully compromise the CSM environment and the connected Dell storage infrastructure, impacting confidentiality, integrity and availability of affected Kubernetes/OpenShift environments.

Dell has released updates addressing these issues for Container Storage Modules version 1.18.0 and later; no specific CVE identifiers or proof-of-concept details were included in the published advisory text, and there is no indication of active exploitation in the wild. Administrators running Dell CSM integrated with Kubernetes or OpenShift should review the vendor references, apply the available updates, and audit RBAC and Secrets access for signs of abuse.

## Detection guidance (public sample)

### Kubernetes Service Account Modifying RBAC Roles or Bindings

ATT&CK: T1078

A service account creating or changing Roles, ClusterRoles or bindings in the Kubernetes audit log, which could indicate RBAC manipulation after a storage-integration component is compromised. Auto-generated starting point — validate and tune in your environment before deploying. IOC matches can false-positive on shared infrastructure and decay as adversary infrastructure rotates.

```yaml
title: Kubernetes Service Account Modifying RBAC Roles or Bindings
description: Detects a Kubernetes service account identity creating, updating or patching
  Roles, ClusterRoles, RoleBindings or ClusterRoleBindings in audit logs. After exploitation
  of a storage-integration component such as a CSI/CSM module, attackers may manipulate
  RBAC for persistence or privilege escalation. Operators and GitOps controllers are
  the main benign source.
tags:
- attack.privilege-escalation
- attack.persistence
- attack.t1078
logsource:
  product: kubernetes
  service: audit
detection:
  selection:
    verb:
    - create
    - update
    - patch
    objectRef.resource:
    - clusterrolebindings
    - rolebindings
    - clusterroles
    - roles
    user.username|startswith: 'system:serviceaccount:'
  filter_system:
    user.username|startswith:
    - 'system:serviceaccount:kube-system:'
    - system:serviceaccount:openshift-
  condition: selection and not filter_system
falsepositives:
- Operators or GitOps controllers (for example Argo CD, Flux) that legitimately manage
  RBAC objects
- Application installers or Helm-driven upgrades running under a service account
level: medium
id: 8fac432e-30d4-5df8-82cd-844d862c7b73
status: experimental
author: Vorant
references:
- https://advisories.ncsc.nl/2026/ncsc-2026-0400.html
```

### Kubernetes Service Account Listing Secrets Outside System Namespaces

ATT&CK: T1552.001

A non-system service account listing or reading Kubernetes Secrets, which could indicate credential harvesting after compromise of a storage-integration component. Auto-generated starting point — validate and tune in your environment before deploying. IOC matches can false-positive on shared infrastructure and decay as adversary infrastructure rotates.

```yaml
title: Kubernetes Service Account Listing Secrets Outside System Namespaces
description: Detects a non-system Kubernetes service account issuing list or get requests
  against Secrets in audit logs. The advisory describes Secrets disclosure as an impact
  of the CSM flaws. Review whether the identity is expected to read Secrets; many
  operators and CSI drivers legitimately do, so baseline them first.
tags:
- attack.credential-access
- attack.t1552.001
logsource:
  product: kubernetes
  service: audit
detection:
  selection:
    verb:
    - list
    - get
    objectRef.resource: secrets
    user.username|startswith: 'system:serviceaccount:'
  filter_system:
    user.username|startswith:
    - 'system:serviceaccount:kube-system:'
    - system:serviceaccount:openshift-
  condition: selection and not filter_system
falsepositives:
- CSI drivers, operators and ingress or certificate controllers that legitimately
  read Secrets
- Backup tools such as Velero enumerating Secrets
level: medium
id: 5c6abd3b-3295-5bbe-897c-2702316e0be8
status: experimental
author: Vorant
references:
- https://advisories.ncsc.nl/2026/ncsc-2026-0400.html
```

### Kubernetes Anonymous User Accessing Sensitive API Resources

ATT&CK: T1078

The system:anonymous identity successfully accessing Secrets, RBAC objects or workloads in the Kubernetes API, consistent with a missing-authentication flaw being exploited. Auto-generated starting point — validate and tune in your environment before deploying. IOC matches can false-positive on shared infrastructure and decay as adversary infrastructure rotates.

```yaml
title: Kubernetes Anonymous User Accessing Sensitive API Resources
description: Detects successful requests (HTTP 200/201) by the system:anonymous identity
  against Secrets, ConfigMaps, RBAC objects, pods or service accounts in Kubernetes
  audit logs. This matches abuse of missing authentication on a critical function,
  where unauthenticated callers gain access to cluster data or administrative functions.
tags:
- attack.initial-access
- attack.credential-access
- attack.t1078
- attack.t1552
logsource:
  product: kubernetes
  service: audit
detection:
  selection:
    user.username: system:anonymous
    responseStatus.code:
    - 200
    - 201
    objectRef.resource:
    - secrets
    - configmaps
    - clusterrolebindings
    - rolebindings
    - clusterroles
    - roles
    - serviceaccounts
    - pods
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Clusters deliberately configured to grant anonymous read access to specific resources
- Misconfigured monitoring or load-balancer probes hitting resource endpoints without
  credentials
level: high
id: 17599a9c-278d-5ac8-a275-6fd8e7d480cb
status: experimental
author: Vorant
references:
- https://advisories.ncsc.nl/2026/ncsc-2026-0400.html
```

Behavioural rules are generated from public reporting — validate in your environment before deploying.

Source reporting: https://advisories.ncsc.nl/2026/ncsc-2026-0400.html

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