CVE-2025-31649 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-908 (Use of Uninitialized Resource) found in the Broadcom BCM5820X chipset, specifically impacting the ControlVault WBDI Driver functionality in Dell ControlVault3 and ControlVault3 Plus products prior to versions 5.15.14.19 and 6.2.36.47 respectively. The vulnerability arises from a hard-coded password within the driver, which can be exploited by an attacker who has limited privileges on the system. By issuing a specially crafted API call to the ControlVault, the attacker can bypass normal authentication mechanisms and execute privileged operations, potentially compromising the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive data protected by the ControlVault security module. The CVSS v3.1 score of 8.7 reflects the high severity, with an attack vector requiring local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), low privileges (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), and scope change (S:C), indicating that the vulnerability can affect resources beyond the initially compromised component. The impact includes high confidentiality and integrity loss, with a low impact on availability. Although no known exploits are currently in the wild, the vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the privileged operations it enables and the critical role of ControlVault in hardware-based security. The lack of available patches at the time of reporting necessitates immediate attention to mitigation strategies.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a serious risk to systems relying on Dell hardware with Broadcom BCM5820X chipsets, particularly those using ControlVault3 or ControlVault3 Plus for hardware-based security functions such as credential storage, encryption key management, and secure authentication. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive credentials and cryptographic keys, undermining the security of enterprise systems and potentially enabling lateral movement within networks. Confidentiality and integrity of critical data could be compromised, affecting sectors such as finance, government, healthcare, and critical infrastructure. The requirement for local access limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments with many users or where attackers have gained initial footholds. The vulnerability could also impact compliance with European data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR) due to potential data breaches. The absence of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive mitigation but also means organizations should prioritize patching once updates are available.

1. Monitor Dell and Broadcom advisories closely and apply official patches for ControlVault3 and ControlVault3 Plus drivers as soon as they are released. 2. Restrict local access to systems with affected hardware to trusted personnel only, employing strict access controls and endpoint security measures. 3. Implement application whitelisting and monitor for unusual or unauthorized ControlVault API calls that could indicate exploitation attempts. 4. Harden system configurations by disabling unnecessary services and interfaces that could provide local access vectors. 5. Use hardware-based security monitoring tools to detect anomalies in ControlVault operations. 6. Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing focusing on local privilege escalation vectors. 7. Educate internal teams about the risks of local privilege escalation vulnerabilities and enforce least privilege principles. 8. Prepare incident response plans specifically addressing potential exploitation of hardware security modules.