External risk intelligence

FreeIPMI Stack Buffer Overflow Vulnerability in Dell iDRAC Information Retrieval

CVE advisorySeverity: CRITICAL (CVSS 9.8)

CVE-2026-85506

FreeIPMI is a command-line utility used for managing IPMI-enabled devices. The vulnerable function, a specific subcommand for Dell iDRAC system information, is typically used by administrators from local or internal management networks. While IPMI interfaces can sometimes be exposed, the utility itself is generally not a public-facing service.

Buffer Overflow

Halo Surface Signal: 2 out of 5 — less likely to be public-facing.

External exposure likelihood

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

A critical vulnerability has been identified in FreeIPMI, a tool used for managing certain system hardware. This issue could allow for significant disruption or unauthorized access if exploited, impacting the availability and integrity of affected systems. Confirmation of relevance and exposure is the primary concern at this stage.

A system management tool has a critical flaw.
It could allow unauthorized access or disruption.
Verify if our systems use this management tool.

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending specially crafted network requests to a system running a vulnerable version of FreeIPMI. The vulnerability lies within the `ipmi-oem` component, specifically in how it handles Dell iDRAC system information. Successful exploitation could allow an attacker to achieve high impact on the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system.

No authentication or privileges needed.
Network request to Dell iDRAC info subcommand.
Full system compromise possible.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

This vulnerability could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code on a system running FreeIPMI when the `ipmi-oem dell get-system-info` command is invoked. This could potentially lead to a compromise of the affected system.

Affected asset: System running FreeIPMI.
How exposure happens: Unauthenticated network access.
Realistic consequence: System compromise.

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

The FreeIPMI utility, specifically its Dell iDRAC system information subcommand, is susceptible to a critical stack-based buffer overflow. This issue is likely to affect system administrators or operations teams responsible for managing server hardware, particularly those using Dell systems with iDRAC interfaces. The immediate practical step is to identify all instances of FreeIPMI, determine which are exposed to potentially untrusted networks, and assess business criticality before planning remediation.

System administration and platform teams.
Verify network exposure and criticality.
Plan targeted remediation and vendor coordination.

Supplementary metadata

CVSS vector

Validate whether this threat affects your internet-facing exposure.

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Frequently asked questions

What is FreeIPMI and how is it used?

FreeIPMI is a suite of command-line tools designed for Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) functionality. It allows system administrators to monitor and manage server hardware, such as checking sensors or power states. The software acts as an interface between the operating system and the hardware's management controller, enabling remote administration of server platforms.

What does CWE-121 mean for CVE-2026-85506?

CWE-121 refers to a stack-based buffer overflow. In the context of CVE-2026-85506, this means the software does not properly manage the amount of data being copied into a reserved memory space on the stack. If a specially crafted input is provided to the specific iDRAC information retrieval function, the extra data can overwrite adjacent memory, potentially allowing an attacker to alter execution flow or crash the program.

How can an attacker trigger this buffer overflow?

The vulnerability is triggered when the `ipmi-oem dell get-system-info` command is executed against a vulnerable version of FreeIPMI while processing malicious input. It is important to note that simply having the software installed is not enough; the specific vulnerable subcommand must be invoked, and the system must process the malformed data packet to initiate the overflow.

Is my system at risk if I use FreeIPMI?

According to Halo Surface Signal, this utility is generally used within internal management networks, making it unlikely to be a public-facing service. However, your risk depends on whether you have exposed these management interfaces to untrusted network segments. If your management tools are isolated from the internet, the window for exploitation is significantly smaller.

How should I respond to this vulnerability?

The first step is to inventory your environment to locate all instances of FreeIPMI versions older than 1.6.19. Prioritize identifying systems where these tools interact with network-accessible management interfaces. Once identified, restrict access to these interfaces using network controls and plan an update to the latest version of FreeIPMI provided by the vendor.

References

Written by Nicholas Merritt

Nicholas Merritt is VP of Security Solutions at Halo Security. With more than 25 years across application security, vulnerability prioritization, and offensive security, he helps teams translate threat data into practical exposure validation and remediation focus. He authors Halo Threat Intelligence CVE advisories using Halo Surface Signal and H/A/L/O context to prioritize internet-facing risk.