CVE-2025-45376 is a vulnerability identified in Dell Repository Manager (DRM) versions 3.4.7 and 3.4.8, categorized under CWE-280, which relates to improper handling of insufficient permissions or privileges. This flaw allows a low privileged attacker who has local access to the affected system to exploit the vulnerability and achieve elevation of privileges. The vulnerability arises because DRM does not correctly enforce permission checks, enabling unauthorized privilege escalation. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.5, reflecting a high severity level. The vector indicates that the attack requires local access (AV:L), high attack complexity (AC:H), low privileges (PR:L), and user interaction (UI:R). The scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability can affect resources beyond the initially vulnerable component. The impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high (C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating that exploitation could lead to full system compromise, data exposure, and disruption of services. Although no exploits are currently known to be in the wild, the vulnerability's nature and severity suggest it could be targeted by attackers seeking to gain administrative control on systems running DRM. Dell Repository Manager is used primarily in enterprise environments to manage Dell system updates and drivers, making this vulnerability particularly relevant for organizations relying on Dell hardware and software management tools. The vulnerability was published on September 29, 2025, with the issue reserved since April 22, 2025. No patches were linked at the time of this report, indicating that organizations should monitor Dell's advisories closely for updates.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the widespread use of Dell hardware and management tools in enterprise and government sectors. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to escalate privileges from a low privileged user to administrative levels, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption of IT operations, and deployment of further malicious activities such as ransomware or data exfiltration. The requirement for local access limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments with shared workstations, insufficient endpoint security, or insider threats. The high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability means that critical systems could be compromised, affecting business continuity and regulatory compliance, particularly under GDPR and other data protection frameworks. The vulnerability could also be leveraged in multi-stage attacks, where initial access is gained through other means and privilege escalation is needed to deepen system control.

1. Monitor Dell's official security advisories and apply patches immediately once they become available for DRM versions 3.4.7 and 3.4.8. 2. Restrict local access to systems running Dell Repository Manager to trusted personnel only, employing strict access controls and endpoint security measures. 3. Implement application whitelisting and privilege management solutions to limit the ability of low privileged users to execute unauthorized actions or escalate privileges. 4. Conduct regular audits of user permissions and system logs to detect unusual privilege escalation attempts or suspicious activities related to DRM. 5. Employ network segmentation to isolate critical management systems and reduce the risk of lateral movement by attackers. 6. Educate users about the risks of local exploitation and enforce policies that minimize unnecessary local user accounts on sensitive systems. 7. Consider deploying host-based intrusion detection systems (HIDS) that can alert on anomalous behavior indicative of privilege escalation attempts. 8. Prepare incident response plans that include scenarios involving local privilege escalation to ensure rapid containment and remediation.