A newly disclosed high-impact vulnerability in Dell’s widely used SupportAssist software could allow attackers to escalate privileges on affected systems.
Identified as CVE-2024-52535, the vulnerability has raised significant concern among cybersecurity experts and end-users, given its potential to compromise system integrity and disrupt operations.
Vulnerability Details
CVE-2024-52535 affects Dell SupportAssist for Home PCs (versions 4.6.1 and earlier) and Dell SupportAssist for Business PCs (versions 4.5.0 and earlier).
The vulnerability stems from a symbolic link (symlink) attack within the software’s remediation component.
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By exploiting this flaw, a low-privileged authenticated user could gain elevated privileges, enabling them to perform unauthorized actions such as the arbitrary deletion of files and folders on the system.
This exploit creates a serious risk by potentially allowing attackers to sabotage critical files, rendering systems inoperable.
The vulnerability has been assigned a CVSS Base Score of 7.1, indicating a high severity level.
The CVSS vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H) highlights that the attack requires local access but is relatively low in complexity, making it easier for attackers to exploit.
Affected Products and Remediation
The affected products and their respective vulnerable versions are:
| Product | Affected Versions | Remediated Versions |
| SupportAssist for Home PCs | Versions prior to 4.6.2 | Versions 4.6.2 or later |
| SupportAssist for Business PCs | Versions prior to 4.5.1 | Versions 4.5.1 or later |
Dell Technologies strongly recommends updating to the remediated versions as soon as possible to mitigate the risks associated with this vulnerability.
To mitigate the risks posed by CVE-2024-52535, users are strongly advised to take immediate action.
First, it is critical to update Dell SupportAssist to the latest versions—4.6.2 or later for Home PCs and 4.5.1 or later for Business PCs—using the official links provided by Dell.
Additionally, organizations and individuals should review their security measures, ensuring that access controls are appropriately configured and monitoring for any suspicious activity, particularly on systems running affected versions.
Lastly, practicing regular maintenance is essential; this includes routine checks for software updates and ensuring that all devices are running the latest patches to prevent exploitation of existing or future vulnerabilities.
Dell’s proactive disclosure of CVE-2024-52535 underscores the importance of vigilance in cybersecurity.
While the vulnerability’s impact is significant, prompt action—such as deploying updates and maintaining regular security hygiene—can effectively mitigate the risk.
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