A vulnerability discovered in Dell computers allows a hacker to take control of the computer remotely. Let’s see how to fix it.
One of the most vulnerable elements of any computer is the firmware. It is often less well protected than other software and is difficult to update or fix when it has been attacked by a cybercriminal.
A security firm called Eclypsium has discovered a serious vulnerability in Dell’s firmware that affects 129 models of Dell computers, both desktops, laptops, and tablets. In total, some 30 million computers are affected.
Jesse Michael, the principal analyst at Eclypsium, explains that “these vulnerabilities are easy to exploit. It’s essentially like time travel: it’s almost like going back to the 1990s all over again.”
Michael complains about how poorly firmware, an essential part of a computer’s software, is protected: “The industry has achieved all this maturity of security features in code at the application and operating system level, but they’re not following best practices in new firmware security features.”
This vulnerability affects a Dell tool called BIOSConnect, which allows the BIOS of DELL computers to be updated automatically, or very easily.
A cybercriminal can trick the victim into using a version of BIOSConnect that injects hacked firmware or installs it himself on any PC.
The danger of this type of attack is that malware is not stored on the PC’s hard disk or memory, but in the firmware, so it cannot be detected by conventional anti-virus software.
From this altered firmware, intruders can spy, collect data, or change the operation of the computer.
In a statement, Dell has announced that it has already updated the application to plug this security hole. It asks users to update it, either automatically or manually, “as soon as possible”.
The most practical thing to do is to download the application from the Dell Downloads website, to make sure it is the legitimate one. If you download Dell Update, you will update all associated software.
