CVE-2025-25050
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service on Dell systems with vulnerable ControlVault firmware. An out-of-bounds write in the firmware upgrade function can be triggered via a specially crafted API call, potentially leading to system compromise. Affected systems include Dell devices with ControlVault3 firmware before 5.15.10.14 or ControlVault 3 Plus firmware before 6.2.26.36.
💻 Affected Systems
- Dell ControlVault3
- Dell ControlVault 3 Plus
⚠️ Manual Verification Required
This CVE does not have specific version information in our database, so automatic vulnerability detection cannot determine if your system is affected.
Why? The CVE database entry doesn't specify which versions are vulnerable (no version ranges provided by the vendor/NVD).
🔒 Custom verification scripts are available for registered users. Sign up free to download automated test scripts.
- Review the CVE details at NVD
- Check vendor security advisories for your specific version
- Test if the vulnerability is exploitable in your environment
- Consider updating to the latest version as a precaution
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution with SYSTEM/root privileges leading to complete system compromise, data theft, and persistent backdoor installation.
Likely Case
System crash/denial of service or limited code execution within the ControlVault process context.
If Mitigated
Denial of service only if memory protections (ASLR, DEP) prevent successful code execution.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires crafting a specific API call to the ControlVault interface. No public exploit code is available as of the advisory date.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: ControlVault3: 5.15.10.14 or later; ControlVault 3 Plus: 6.2.26.36 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000276106/dsa-2025-053
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download the latest firmware from Dell Support. 2. Run the firmware update utility. 3. Follow on-screen instructions. 4. Reboot the system when prompted.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict ControlVault API Access
allLimit network access to ControlVault services using firewall rules to prevent unauthorized API calls.
# Windows: netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Block ControlVault" dir=in action=block protocol=TCP localport=<ControlVault_port>
# Linux: iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport <ControlVault_port> -j DROP
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Segment networks to isolate systems with vulnerable ControlVault firmware from untrusted networks.
- Implement strict access controls and monitor for unusual API calls to ControlVault services.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check ControlVault firmware version in Dell Command | Update, SupportAssist, or BIOS settings.Check Version:
# Windows: wmic bios get smbiosbiosversion | findstr ControlVault
# Linux: dmidecode -t bios | grep -i controlvaultVerify Fix Applied:
Confirm firmware version is 5.15.10.14 or later for ControlVault3, or 6.2.26.36 or later for ControlVault 3 Plus.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual ControlVault API calls in system logs
- Firmware upgrade failures or crashes in ControlVault service logs
Network Indicators:
- Unexpected network traffic to ControlVault service ports (typically localhost or internal)
SIEM Query:
source="*ControlVault*" AND (event_id="500" OR event_id="1000") OR process_name="cv_upgrade_sensor_firmware"