Introduction
A newly disclosed buffer overflow in the ControlVault3 security module sharply raises the risk of credential theft, firmware persistence, and privilege escalation for organizations that rely on Dell laptops. The flaw affects more than 100 Dell laptop models, including the Latitude, Precision, and ProBook lines. A crafted API call can trigger it, and the result may be memory corruption or code execution at the firmware level.
Dell Technologies is one of the world's largest IT infrastructure providers, with a global presence in personal and enterprise computing. Its ControlVault3 hardware security module is designed to protect credentials and biometric data, so a flaw in this component hits business, government, and critical infrastructure users especially hard.
Technical Information
CVE-2025-36553 is a buffer overflow (CWE-120) in the CvManager functionality of Dell ControlVault3 and ControlVault3 Plus firmware. It is triggered when the firmware processes a specially crafted ControlVault API call. The vulnerable code path does not properly check the size of incoming data, so an attacker can supply more data than the allocated buffer can hold. The resulting memory corruption may overwrite adjacent memory regions that contain sensitive data structures or function pointers.
An attacker can exploit the flaw by sending malicious API calls to the CvManager component. The attacker needs local system access but no elevated privileges and no user interaction. Attack complexity is low, and exploitation can result in arbitrary code execution inside the privileged firmware environment. From there, an attacker could extract credentials, modify the firmware, or install persistent implants.
CVE-2025-36553 is closely related to the other vulnerabilities in the ReVault family, which together affect the ControlVault3 module and enable attack chains that combine information disclosure, out-of-bounds writes, and unsafe deserialization. The root cause is insufficient input validation and boundary checking in the firmware's buffer management routines.
No public code snippets or proof-of-concept exploit are available at the time of writing.
Patch Information
Dell has released updated ControlVault3 drivers and firmware that fix these vulnerabilities. Users should promptly update their systems to the following versions:
- ControlVault3 Firmware: Version 5.15.7.0
- ControlVault3+ Firmware: Version 6.2.24.0
Steps to Update ControlVault3 Firmware:
-
Download the Update:
- Visit Dell's Drivers & Downloads page.
- Enter your system's Service Tag or select your product model.
- Go to the 'Drivers & Downloads' section.
- Find the 'Dell ControlVault3 Driver and Firmware' update for your system.
-
Install the Update:
- Download the executable file for the firmware update.
- Run the downloaded file and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
Verifying the Firmware Version:
After updating, confirm that the new firmware is installed:
-
Using Device Manager:
- Press
Win + Xand select 'Device Manager'. - Expand the 'ControlVault Device' section.
- Right-click 'Dell ControlVault' and select 'Properties'.
- Open the 'Versioning' tab to see the firmware version.
- Press
-
Using PowerShell Script:
- Dell provides a PowerShell script that reports the firmware version.
- Download the script from the Dell Support Article.
- Run the script in PowerShell to check the installed firmware version.
Important Notes:
- Keep the system connected to a reliable power source during the update so the process is not interrupted.
- Dell recommends backing up important data before you update firmware.
- If you run into problems during the update, check Dell's support resources or contact Dell Support.
Affected Systems and Versions
CVE-2025-36553 affects the following products and versions:
- Dell ControlVault3 firmware versions prior to 5.15.14.19
- Dell ControlVault3 Plus firmware versions prior to 6.2.36.47
Every configuration running these firmware versions is vulnerable. The flaw is present in a wide range of Dell laptop models, including but not limited to the Latitude 5000, 7000, and 9000 series, the Precision 3000, 5000, and 7000 series, and the ProBook lines. Dell's official advisory has the full list of affected models.
Vendor Security History
Dell has fixed critical vulnerabilities in firmware and BIOS components before, including the ReVault family of flaws (CVE-2025-24311, CVE-2025-25215, CVE-2025-24922, CVE-2025-25050, CVE-2025-24919) that affect ControlVault3. The company has a coordinated disclosure process and usually ships patches promptly. Still, firmware vulnerabilities keep recurring in security-critical components, which points to ongoing problems in how secure firmware is developed and tested.
