Overview
CVE-2025-31361 is a high-severity privilege escalation vulnerability affecting Dell ControlVault3 and ControlVault3 Plus. This vulnerability exists within the WBDI Driver’s WBIO_USH_ADD_RECORD functionality and can be exploited by a local attacker to gain elevated privileges on a vulnerable system.
Technical Details
The vulnerability resides in the way the Dell ControlVault driver handles the WBIO_USH_ADD_RECORD functionality within the Windows Biometric Framework. Specifically, a specially crafted WinBioControlUnit call can be used to trigger the vulnerability. Prior to versions 5.15.14.19 (ControlVault3) and 6.2.36.47 (ControlVault3 Plus), insufficient validation of input parameters within the WBIO_USH_ADD_RECORD function allows an attacker to manipulate the system state and escalate their privileges. The vulnerability stems from missing or inadequate checks on the data being written by the WinBioControlUnit, leading to potential out-of-bounds write scenarios.
Attackers exploit the flaw by crafting a malicious API call to the vulnerable WBIO_USH_ADD_RECORD function. This manipulated call circumvents the intended security checks and writes arbitrary data to privileged memory locations, ultimately enabling privilege escalation.
CVSS Analysis
- CVSS Score: 8.7 (HIGH)
- Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Explanation: This CVSS score reflects the local attack vector (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), low privileges required (PR:L), no user interaction required (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), high confidentiality impact (C:H), high integrity impact (I:H), and high availability impact (A:H). This indicates that an attacker with local access can easily exploit the vulnerability to gain full control of the system without any user interaction.
Possible Impact
Successful exploitation of CVE-2025-31361 can have severe consequences:
- Privilege Escalation: An attacker can escalate their privileges from a low-privileged user to SYSTEM or administrator level.
- Data Breach: With elevated privileges, attackers can access sensitive data, including user credentials, financial information, and proprietary data.
- System Compromise: Attackers can install malware, modify system settings, and completely compromise the affected system.
- Lateral Movement: In a network environment, a compromised system can be used as a launchpad for attacks against other systems on the network.
Mitigation and Patch Steps
The vulnerability is resolved in the following versions:
- Dell ControlVault3 version 5.15.14.19 and later.
- Dell ControlVault3 Plus version 6.2.36.47 and later.
To mitigate the risk of exploitation, it is highly recommended to:
- Apply the Latest Updates: Immediately update Dell ControlVault drivers to the latest versions provided by Dell. You can download the updates from the Dell Support website.
- Monitor Systems: Monitor systems for suspicious activity, particularly related to biometric authentication processes.
- Restrict Access: Implement the principle of least privilege, granting users only the necessary access rights.
Consult Dell’s security advisory for detailed instructions on obtaining and installing the necessary updates.
