CVE-2025-38738 is a vulnerability identified in Dell's SupportAssist for Home PCs Installer executable, specifically in versions 4.8.2.29006 and prior. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-266, which pertains to Incorrect Privilege Assignment. This flaw allows a low-privileged local attacker to exploit the installer to gain elevated privileges on the affected system. The vulnerability arises due to improper assignment or enforcement of privileges during the installation process, which can be manipulated to escalate user rights beyond intended limits. The CVSS v3.1 score for this vulnerability is 6.7, indicating a medium severity level. The vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) reveals that the attack requires local access (AV:L), high attack complexity (AC:H), low privileges (PR:L), and user interaction (UI:R). The scope remains unchanged (S:U), but the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high (C:H/I:H/A:H). There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability's exploitation could allow attackers to compromise system confidentiality, integrity, and availability by gaining unauthorized administrative privileges through the installer process. This elevates the risk of further malicious activities such as installing persistent malware, disabling security controls, or accessing sensitive data.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk especially in environments where Dell SupportAssist for Home PCs is deployed on employee or home office machines. The elevation of privilege could allow attackers with local access—potentially through social engineering or physical access—to gain administrative control, bypass security restrictions, and compromise sensitive corporate data or network resources. This is particularly concerning for organizations with remote or hybrid workforces relying on home PCs for accessing corporate resources. The high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability means that successful exploitation could lead to data breaches, unauthorized system modifications, or service disruptions. Additionally, since the vulnerability requires user interaction and local access, it may be exploited in targeted attacks or insider threat scenarios. The lack of known exploits currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the potential for future exploitation once proof-of-concept code or exploit tools become available.

European organizations should proactively audit their endpoints to identify installations of Dell SupportAssist for Home PCs, particularly versions 4.8.2.29006 and earlier. Until an official patch is released, organizations should consider the following specific mitigations: 1) Restrict local user permissions to the minimum necessary, preventing users from executing installer files or modifying installation directories without administrative approval. 2) Implement application whitelisting to block unauthorized execution of installer executables. 3) Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for suspicious privilege escalation attempts related to the SupportAssist installer. 4) Educate users about the risks of running unexpected installers and the importance of verifying software sources. 5) Use group policies or endpoint management tools to disable or uninstall SupportAssist on home PCs where it is not essential. 6) Monitor for updates from Dell and apply patches promptly once available. 7) For remote workers, enforce strong endpoint security controls and consider virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solutions to limit exposure of home PC vulnerabilities to corporate networks.