- #Dell os recovery tool install
- #Dell os recovery tool update
- #Dell os recovery tool validation code
- #Dell os recovery tool software
- #Dell os recovery tool code
HTTPS Boot is an improvement over the older PXE network boot that has existed in BIOS for decades and which is often used by IT teams to remotely deploy customized and updated OS images to computers on their networks.Ĭompared to BIOSConnect, HTTPS Boot allows users to configure a specific CA they decide to trust. The Eclypsium researchers also found that a similar certificate validation flaw exists in another UEFI feature present in Dell computers called HTTPS Boot that allows computers to boot an OS image from a web server over the network or the internet. Over the years they have been used by intelligence agencies, nation-backed cyberespionage groups, and even sophisticated cybercriminals. Malicious firmware implants are some of the most persistent, stealthy and hardest to remove infections because they survive OS wipes and hard drive replacements. For implementers this means that client-side certificate validation is critical, especially when dealing with something as vital as firmware updates.
#Dell os recovery tool update
In addition to encryption, HTTPS offers guarantees that devices connect to the legitimate update servers by verifying their certificates.
#Dell os recovery tool software
Software supply-chain attacks have also been on the rise in recent years and many of them have targeted software update mechanisms, so it's important for software updates to be delivered over encrypted connections. Vulnerabilities in enterprise VPN appliances are not uncommon and these devices are increasingly targeted by sophisticated attackers. Employees who work from home are even more susceptible to MitM attacks because home routers are generally riddled with unpatched vulnerabilities or use weak credentials. Network connections are susceptible to hijacking through techniques such as ARP spoofing, DNS cache poisoning, or attackers gaining control of networking devices through which computers access the internet - for example routers, wireless access point or VPN gateways.
#Dell os recovery tool code
This means that an attacker with a MitM position would have no trouble spoofing and serving malicious code for BIOSConnect to execute. The list of certificate trusted certificate authorities was imported from Mozilla's Root Certificate program and includes over 50 CAs operated by governments, commercial certificate providers and free certificate providers like Let's Encrypt.
#Dell os recovery tool validation code
The Eclypsium researchers found that the HTTPS certificate validation code used by BIOSConnect will accept any certificate for any domain name, not just, issued by any trusted certificate authority (CA). Apple has offered such an option on its computers for many years. The automation of OS recovery and firmware updates is a big improvement in the PC ecosystem over the traditional process of users having to manually search for BIOS updates or recovery tools on the manufacturers' support sites, then flash them to USB drives or optical discs and boot from them.
![dell os recovery tool dell os recovery tool](https://www.icode9.com/i/ll/?i=bca523c22d3e44fcae43b5964f0e813c.png)
If the connection is successful, it downloads the SupportAssist recovery image, loads it into RAM and starts it. Specifically, the feature uses Google's Public DNS server 8.8.8.8 to find the IP address for the domain and then connects to the server over HTTPS. In those cases, BIOSConnect allows users to start the recovery process directly from the internet. However, there might be situations where the service partition itself was deleted, was corrupted, or is absent because the entire hard drive was replaced.
#Dell os recovery tool install
Users can also install UEFI updates through SupportAssist, Dell's support software that's installed on its Windows computers by default and which also monitors device health, delivers OS driver updates for various components and helps users troubleshoot issues.ĭell computers also ship with a hidden service partition on their hard drives that can be used to launch SupportAssist OS Recovery from the boot menu if the installed operating system is corrupted and can no longer start.
![dell os recovery tool dell os recovery tool](https://miro.medium.com/max/1838/1*U3iGcbdDZoBqHyD2sQcevQ.png)
What is BIOSConnect?īIOSConnect is a feature in the low-level firmware, the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI), of Dell computers that allows users to perform recovery operations and firmware updates over the internet from outside the operating system. ĭell has started releasing BIOS/UEFI updates for the affected models and advises everyone to deploy those updates using alternative firmware update methods, not the impacted feature called BIOSConnect.
![dell os recovery tool dell os recovery tool](https://pics.me.me/dell-dell-os-recovery-tool-x-summary-product-operating-system-65992380.png)
The vulnerabilities were discovered by researchers from Eclypsium, a company that specializes in hardware and firmware security, and will be fully disclosed during a presentation in August at the DEF CON security conference. The over-the-internet firmware update and OS recovery feature present in 128 Dell computer models suffers from certificate validation and other flaws that could allow man-in-the-middle (MitM) attackers to compromise the devices at the firmware level and deploy malicious implants.