CVE-2020-5326

Physical BIOS setting changes via unauthenticated defaults

Published Feb 21, 2020 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Authentication bypass in Dell Client platforms allows physically proximate attackers to change BIOS settings without the BIOS Admin password. The pre-boot iRST Manager applies Optimized Defaults without authenticating the operator against the configured BIOS Admin password. Physical access and entry into the pre-boot menu are required; unauthorized configuration changes expose information and interrupt system availability.

CVSS severity6.1
Medium
EPSS probability0.35%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Authentication bypass in Dell Client platforms allows physically proximate attackers to change BIOS settings without the BIOS Admin password. The pre-boot iRST Manager applies Optimized Defaults without authenticating the operator against the configured BIOS Admin password. Physical access and entry into the pre-boot menu are required; unauthorized configuration changes expose information and interrupt system availability.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-5326
Published
Feb 21, 2020
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-306
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 21, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorphysical
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

6.1DellCVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorphysical
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-306Missing Authentication for Critical Function

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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