How to Fix CVE-2026-24508: CWE-295: Improper Certificate Validation
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*By Sai Kiran Pandrala*
| Severity | CVSS 2.5, Low |
|---|---|
| Actively exploited? | No |
| Affected | Dell Alienware Command Center (AWCC) (0 < 6.12.24.0) |
| Fixed in | 6.12.24.0 |
| Type (CWE) | CWE-295: Improper Certificate Validation |
What is CVE-2026-24508?
Dell Alienware Command Center (AWCC), versions prior to 6.12.24.0, contain an Improper Certificate Validation vulnerability. A low privileged attacker with local access could potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to Information exposure.
In practical terms, a successful attacker gets compromise of the affected component as described in the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation listed in CISA's KEV catalog at the time of writing, but the CVSS rating still warrants prompt patching.
Am I affected?
You're affected if you run Dell Alienware Command Center (AWCC) at any version in the Affected row above. Use these probes to find your installed build:
# Confirm the installed version via your package manager
dpkg -l | grep -i alienware # Debian/Ubuntu
rpm -qa | grep -i alienware # RHEL/CentOS/Rocky
How to fix CVE-2026-24508
The primary fix is to upgrade to the patched build listed in the Fixed in row above (6.12.24.0). Pick the platform that matches your install and run the commands below.
Linux (Ubuntu / Debian)
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install --only-upgrade alienware-command-center--awcc
# Confirm the installed version meets or exceeds 6.12.24.0
dpkg -s alienware-command-center--awcc | grep ^Version
Linux (RHEL / CentOS / Rocky)
sudo dnf upgrade --security alienware-command-center--awcc -y
rpm -q alienware-command-center--awcc
Windows (PowerShell, admin)
# Try winget first
winget upgrade --id 'Dell.Alienware Command Center (AWCC)' --silent --accept-source-agreements --accept-package-agreements
# If winget does not know the product, download the patched installer from the vendor and:
Start-Process -FilePath "$env:TEMP\AlienwareCommandCenterAWCC-6.12.24.0.msi" -ArgumentList '/qn /norestart' -Wait
PowerShell script (Windows) - detect, back up, upgrade, verify, log
# Run as Administrator
$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
$log = "$env:ProgramData\AlienwareCommandCenterAWCC-Patch-CVE-2026-24508.log"
function Write-Log($msg) { "$(Get-Date -Format s) $msg" | Tee-Object -FilePath $log -Append }
Write-Log "Starting CVE-2026-24508 remediation for Dell Alienware Command Center (AWCC)"
# 1. Detect: replace the path/version probe with one valid for your install
$installed = (Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Product |
Where-Object { $_.Name -like '*Alienware*' } |
Select-Object -First 1 -ExpandProperty Version)
Write-Log "Detected version: $installed"
if (-not $installed) {
Write-Log "Product not installed on this host; nothing to do."
return
}
if ([version]$installed -ge [version]'6.12.24.0') {
Write-Log "Already at fixed version $installed; no action needed."
return
}
# 2. Backup configuration to a timestamped folder
$backup = "$env:ProgramData\AlienwareCommandCenterAWCC-Backup-$(Get-Date -Format yyyyMMdd-HHmm)"
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $backup -Force | Out-Null
# Adjust the source path to match your install
$src = "$env:ProgramFiles\Dell\Alienware Command Center (AWCC)"
if (Test-Path $src) { Copy-Item -Path $src -Destination $backup -Recurse -Force }
Write-Log "Backed up config to $backup"
# 3. Apply the patched installer (place the verified file on a share or staging path)
$installer = "$env:TEMP\AlienwareCommandCenterAWCC-6.12.24.0.msi"
if (-not (Test-Path $installer)) {
throw "Patched installer not found at $installer. Stage it from your software repo first."
}
Start-Process msiexec.exe -ArgumentList "/i `"$installer`" /qn /norestart" -Wait
Write-Log "Installer finished"
# 4. Verify
$verify = (Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Product |
Where-Object { $_.Name -like '*Alienware*' } |
Select-Object -First 1 -ExpandProperty Version)
if ([version]$verify -ge [version]'6.12.24.0') {
Write-Log "SUCCESS: now at $verify (>= 6.12.24.0)"
} else {
Write-Log "FAILURE: still at $verify after install"
exit 1
}
Bash script (Linux) - detect, back up, upgrade, verify, log
#!/usr/bin/env bash
set -euo pipefail
LOG=/var/log/alienware-command-center--awcc-patch-cve-2026-24508.log
log() { echo "$(date -Iseconds) $*" | tee -a "$LOG"; }
log "Starting CVE-2026-24508 remediation for Dell Alienware Command Center (AWCC)"
# 1. Detect installed version (works for deb and rpm packages)
if command -v dpkg >/dev/null && dpkg -s alienware-command-center--awcc >/dev/null 2>&1; then
CURRENT=$(dpkg-query -W -f='${Version}' alienware-command-center--awcc)
PKG_MGR=apt
elif command -v rpm >/dev/null && rpm -q alienware-command-center--awcc >/dev/null 2>&1; then
CURRENT=$(rpm -q --queryformat '%{VERSION}' alienware-command-center--awcc)
PKG_MGR=dnf
else
log "alienware-command-center--awcc not installed via apt or rpm; check your package manager or vendor instructions."
exit 0
fi
log "Detected: alienware-command-center--awcc=$CURRENT (manager=$PKG_MGR)"
# 2. Backup config
BACKUP=/var/backups/alienware-command-center--awcc-$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M)
mkdir -p "$BACKUP"
for d in /etc/alienware-command-center--awcc /etc/${pkg%%-*} ; do
[ -d "$d" ] && cp -a "$d" "$BACKUP/" && log "Backed up $d to $BACKUP"
done
# 3. Upgrade
if [ "$PKG_MGR" = apt ]; then
sudo apt-get update -y
sudo apt-get install --only-upgrade -y alienware-command-center--awcc
else
sudo dnf upgrade --security -y alienware-command-center--awcc
fi
# 4. Verify
if [ "$PKG_MGR" = apt ]; then
NEW=$(dpkg-query -W -f='${Version}' alienware-command-center--awcc)
else
NEW=$(rpm -q --queryformat '%{VERSION}' alienware-command-center--awcc)
fi
log "After upgrade: $NEW"
# Optionally compare against 6.12.24.0 with dpkg --compare-versions or sort -V
log "Done. Restart the affected service if the package install did not."
If you can't patch immediately
These are runnable hardening commands. They reduce blast radius but they're not a replacement for the vendor patch.
No official vendor workaround is published for this CVE; patching is the only documented fix. The runnable hardening below is generic defense in depth, not a substitute for the patch.
Restrict the affected service to trusted networks (Linux):
# Vendor advisory: https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000427573/dsa-2026-093
# Replace <port> with the affected service port and 10.0.0.0/24 with your admin subnet
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport <port> -s 10.0.0.0/24 -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport <port> -j DROP
Windows Firewall equivalent:
# Vendor advisory: https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000427573/dsa-2026-093
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName 'Allow affected service from admin subnet' \
-Direction Inbound -Action Allow -Protocol TCP -LocalPort <port> -RemoteAddress 10.0.0.0/24
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName 'Block affected service from everywhere else' \
-Direction Inbound -Action Block -Protocol TCP -LocalPort <port>
How to verify the fix worked
Run the version probe again and confirm the running build matches the Fixed in row above.
# Confirm the running build matches the patched version listed by the vendor
# Example for Linux package installs:
dpkg -l | grep -i "alienware" # Debian/Ubuntu
rpm -qa | grep -i "alienware" # RHEL/CentOS/Rocky
Expected output: the package version should meet or exceed 6.12.24.0.
Then re-run any vulnerability scanner you used previously and confirm the finding for CVE-2026-24508 has cleared. Sweep your logs for the indicators of compromise listed in the vendor or CISA advisory, especially if the system was internet-reachable during the disclosure window.
Frequently asked questions
Is CVE-2026-24508 being actively exploited?
Not at the time of writing. It is not listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. That status can change, so monitor the vendor advisory and the KEV catalog if the system is exposed.
How severe is CVE-2026-24508?
CVSS rates it 2.5 (Low). Use that score to set your patch priority next to the other items in your queue.
Do I have to take Alienware Command Center (AWCC) offline to apply the patch?
It depends on the deployment. High-availability or clustered installs can usually patch one node at a time with no full outage. Standalone installs typically need a short restart. Always follow the vendor's documented upgrade steps.
What if my vulnerability scanner still flags CVE-2026-24508 after I patch?
Re-run the scan after a service restart, then confirm the scanner's plugin set is up to date. Some scanners detect by banner version only and lag the official fix metadata by a release.
References
- Official vendor advisory: https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000427573/dsa-2026-093
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-24508
- CISA KEV catalog: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog
*Written by Sai Kiran Pandrala on 2026-05-25. Sourced from the official vendor advisory, the NVD record, and the CISA KEV listing. Always confirm against the vendor advisory before applying changes in production.*