Hidden For 12 Years, Dell Users At Risk Of Security Bug

Since 2009, this privilege-escalation bug has been present in every desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet and notebook shipped out by the infamous computer company. The security flaws, found within the company’s firmware update driver, could potentially allow security products to be bypassed along with unauthorized code execution.

The local privilege-escalation (LPE) bugs exist in firmware update driver version 2.3 (dbutil_2_3.sys). This driver is routinely included on most of the company’s Windows machines.

According to SentinelLabs, the aforementioned CVE has five separate flaws:

• CVE-2021-21551: Local Elevation Of Privileges #1 – Memory corruption
• CVE-2021-21551: Local Elevation Of Privileges #2 – Memory corruption
• CVE-2021-21551: Local Elevation Of Privileges #3 – Lack of input validation
• CVE-2021-21551: Local Elevation Of Privileges #4 – Lack of input validation
• CVE-2021-21551: Denial Of Service – Code logic issue

The above security flaws could allow anyone using the computer to escalate privileges and run code in kernel mode. If, for example, a hacker accessed an organization’s network, they can also gain access to execute code on unpatched Dell systems. They can then pivot to a broader network.

To rectify this issue, SentinelLabs recommends that both enterprise and consumer Dell customers apply the patch listed in the Dell Security Advisory DSA-2021-088 as soon as possible. This cybersecurity issue has affected hundreds of millions of devices worldwide. Users who fail to apply the patch may continue to be at risk.

There has yet to be any evidence that the flaws were exploited in the wild, but that doesn’t mean cyber attackers won’t see this acknowledgement by Dell as an opportunity. If security measures aren’t taken, a bad actor can gain unauthorized access to a user’s sensitive information.

This example goes to show how important maintaining network security truly is. It may take a number of years (in this case, 12) before a cyber threat is revealed, but by maintaining cybersecurity best practices, your risk is lessened.

Remember to safeguard your sensitive data, always. You can do so by maintaining awareness of the latest social engineering tactics, changing your passwords regularly, and updating your software whenever possible.