Millions of Dell laptops hit by ‘critical’ security vulnerability

Time and again, dangerous security vulnerabilities are discovered in the hardware of certain manufacturers. Lenovo AIO PCs landed in the news as recently as last week, and now Dell laptop owners need to watch out. Certain Dell models—we’re talking over 100 different models and millions of affected devices—are affected by a chip security vulnerability that can lead to serious problems.

Dell has issued a warning about it, categorizing it as “critical” and stating that it’s a flaw in Broadcom BCM5820X series chips, which are mainly installed in Dell’s Precision, Latitude, and Pro laptops. A list of all affected devices can be found in Dell’s support article.

We’re looking at a total of five individual vulnerabilities with designations CVE-2025-24311, CVE-2025-25215, CVE-2025-24922, CVE-2025-25050, and CVE-2025-24919. It’s a problem with the ControlVault3 function, which is used to store passwords and biometric data, among other things, which is why the problem is particularly dangerous.

In the worst-case scenario, attackers could exploit the flaws to steal data and remotely execute malicious code. Due to the nature of the vulnerability, it’s also likely that stored passwords are no longer secure.

What you can do if you’re affected

Dell told The Register the following when asked:

Working with our firmware provider, we addressed the issues quickly and transparently disclosed the reported vulnerabilities in accordance with our Vulnerability Response Policy.

Customers can review the Dell Security Advisory DSA-2025-053 for information on affected products, versions, and more.

The vulnerability was first disclosed on June 13, but further details have apparently only now been communicated. Dell strongly recommends that users update their devices with the latest Dell security updates to protect against attacks and ensure the safe use of affected devices.

Affected users can find the relevant download links in Dell’s support document. Alternatively, you can search for updates in the Dell Command Center and should at least install the critical patches being offered.