CVE-2025-36462
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows attackers to trigger memory corruption through specially crafted WinBioControlUnit API calls to Dell ControlVault biometric security subsystems. Successful exploitation could lead to system compromise, data theft, or denial of service. Affected systems include Dell devices with ControlVault3 or ControlVault3 Plus biometric security chips.
💻 Affected Systems
- Dell ControlVault3
- Dell ControlVault3 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
Full system compromise leading to complete control of the affected device, credential theft, and lateral movement within the network.
Likely Case
Local privilege escalation, denial of service, or arbitrary code execution on the affected system.
If Mitigated
Limited impact due to network segmentation, reduced privileges, and proper access controls preventing exploitation.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local access and ability to make specific API calls. The vulnerability is in the driver's handling of malformed biometric control requests.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: ControlVault3: 5.15.14.19+, ControlVault3 Plus: 6.2.36.47+
Vendor Advisory: https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000326061/dsa-2025-228
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download the updated ControlVault driver from Dell Support. 2. Install the driver update. 3. Restart the system to complete installation.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Biometric Authentication
windowsTemporarily disable Windows Hello biometric authentication to prevent exploitation via WinBioControlUnit API.
Windows Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > Disable Windows Hello Face/Fingerprint
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict access controls to limit local user privileges and prevent unauthorized API calls.
- Segment affected systems from critical network resources and monitor for unusual biometric authentication attempts.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check ControlVault driver version in Device Manager > Biometric devices > Dell ControlVault > Driver version.Check Version:
wmic path Win32_PnPSignedDriver where "DeviceName like '%ControlVault%'" get DeviceName, DriverVersionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify driver version is 5.15.14.19 or higher for ControlVault3, or 6.2.36.47 or higher for ControlVault3 Plus.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Failed or unusual WinBioControlUnit API calls in Windows Event Logs
- Biometric service crashes or unexpected restarts
Network Indicators:
- Unusual local system calls to biometric services from non-standard processes
SIEM Query:
EventID=4688 AND (ProcessName LIKE '%winbio%' OR CommandLine LIKE '%WinBioControlUnit%') AND ResultCode!=0