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Buffer Overflow in Dell ControlVault3 CvManager

IdentifiersCVE-2025-36553CWE-120· Buffer Copy without Checking Size…

CVE-2025-36553 is a buffer overflow vulnerability in the CvManager functionality of Dell ControlVault3 and Dell ControlVault3 Plus firmware. A specially crafted ControlVault API call can trigger insufficient bounds checking during buffer handling, leading to memory corruption. The issue affects Dell ControlVault3 versions prior to 5.15.14.19 and Dell ControlVault3 Plus versions prior to 6.2.36.47. Available reporting indicates the vulnerable code path does not properly validate the size of incoming data before copying it into a buffer, creating a classic CWE-120 condition in a privileged firmware component.

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ANALYST BRIEF

Impact, mitigation & remediation

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Impact

What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.

Successful exploitation can corrupt memory in the ControlVault firmware environment and may enable arbitrary code execution in a privileged firmware context. Reported downstream impacts include compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability, including potential credential extraction, firmware modification, and installation of persistent implants. The published CVSS v3.1 vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H) is consistent with high impact across all three security objectives.

Mitigation

If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.

If immediate patching is not possible, reduce exposure by limiting local access to affected systems, restricting execution of untrusted local code, and tightening administrative controls around software capable of invoking the ControlVault API. Because exploitation requires local access and low privileges but no user interaction, endpoint hardening and least-privilege controls may reduce risk, but vendor firmware updates are the primary mitigation.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Update affected firmware to a fixed release. Dell guidance indicates upgrading Dell ControlVault3 to version 5.15.14.19 or later and Dell ControlVault3 Plus to version 6.2.36.47 or later. Apply the vendor firmware updates referenced in Dell advisory DSA-2025-228 across all affected systems.
PUBLIC EXPLOITS

Exploits

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VALID 0 / 0 TOTALView more in app

No public exploit code observed for this vulnerability.

What this page doesn’t show

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Exposure mapping

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Threat actor evidence

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Associated malware

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Detection signatures

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Vendor-by-vendor mapping

Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.

Social activity2

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