CVE-2025-24919 is a high-severity vulnerability classified under CWE-502, which pertains to the deserialization of untrusted data. This vulnerability affects the Broadcom BCM5820X chipset, specifically within the Dell ControlVault3 and ControlVault3Plus firmware components prior to versions 5.15.10.14 and 6.2.26.36, respectively. The flaw resides in the cvhDecapsulateCmd functionality, where a specially crafted response from a compromised ControlVault firmware can trigger unsafe deserialization processes. This can lead to arbitrary code execution on the affected device. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows an attacker who has compromised the ControlVault firmware to craft malicious responses that exploit the deserialization flaw, potentially gaining control over the system at a low level. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1 reflects the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with the vector indicating local attack vector (AV:L), high attack complexity (AC:H), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and scope change (S:C). This means the vulnerability can be exploited locally without authentication or user interaction but requires a high level of complexity to execute. The scope change indicates that the vulnerability affects resources beyond the initially vulnerable component, amplifying its impact. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches are listed, suggesting that mitigation may rely on firmware updates or vendor advisories yet to be released. The vulnerability's root cause is unsafe deserialization, a common issue where untrusted input is deserialized without proper validation, allowing attackers to inject malicious payloads that execute arbitrary code during the deserialization process.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-24919 is significant due to the widespread use of Broadcom BCM5820X chipsets in enterprise hardware, particularly in Dell devices that incorporate ControlVault3 security modules. Successful exploitation could lead to full compromise of the affected hardware's security subsystem, undermining device integrity and potentially allowing attackers to bypass hardware-based security controls. This could result in unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption of critical services, and persistent footholds within enterprise networks. Given the vulnerability requires local access but no privileges or user interaction, attackers who gain physical or local network access could escalate their control rapidly. This is especially concerning for sectors with high security requirements such as finance, government, telecommunications, and critical infrastructure across Europe. The scope change in the vulnerability means that exploitation could affect multiple system components, increasing the risk of widespread system compromise. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not diminish the potential severity once exploit code becomes available. Organizations relying on affected hardware should consider this vulnerability a high priority for risk assessment and remediation planning.

1. Monitor vendor advisories from Broadcom and Dell for firmware updates addressing this vulnerability and apply patches promptly once available. 2. Implement strict access controls to limit local access to devices containing the BCM5820X chipset, including physical security measures and network segmentation to reduce the attack surface. 3. Employ runtime integrity monitoring and endpoint detection solutions capable of identifying anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts targeting ControlVault firmware. 4. Conduct regular firmware integrity checks and audits to detect unauthorized modifications to ControlVault components. 5. Restrict the use of untrusted or unknown software that interacts with ControlVault modules to prevent triggering the vulnerability. 6. Enhance logging and monitoring around ControlVault communications to detect suspicious or malformed responses that could indicate exploitation attempts. 7. Educate IT and security teams about the nature of deserialization vulnerabilities and the specific risks associated with ControlVault firmware to improve incident response readiness. 8. Where possible, consider hardware replacement or isolation strategies for critical systems that cannot be patched promptly to mitigate exposure.