CVE-2025-46637

Local privilege escalation via installer link following

Published Dec 9, 2025 · Updated Feb 26, 2026

Improper link resolution in the Dell Encryption installer before 11.12.1 allows local users to elevate privileges during installation. The installer follows attacker-controlled filesystem links before accessing files, but Dell has not disclosed the affected file operation or path. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and user interaction while a vulnerable installer is running; an already installed application is not exposed.

CVSS severity7.3
High
EPSS probability0.10%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper link resolution in the Dell Encryption installer before 11.12.1 allows local users to elevate privileges during installation. The installer follows attacker-controlled filesystem links before accessing files, but Dell has not disclosed the affected file operation or path. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and user interaction while a vulnerable installer is running; an already installed application is not exposed.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-46637
Published
Dec 9, 2025
Updated
Feb 26, 2026
Vendor
Dell
Product
Dell Encryption
Classifications
CWE-59, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 9, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 26, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=N/A <11.12.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Dell · Dell Encryptionversion=N/A <11.12.1

Published CVSS scores

7.3DellCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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