CVE-2025-46430 is an Execution with Unnecessary Privileges vulnerability (CWE-250) found in Dell Display and Peripheral Manager, a software utility used to manage Dell monitors and peripheral devices. The flaw exists in the installer component of the software, which runs with elevated privileges unnecessarily. This design weakness allows a low-privileged attacker who has local access to the affected system to exploit the installer to escalate their privileges. The attacker must have local access and perform some user interaction, such as running or triggering the installer, but does not require administrative credentials initially. Successful exploitation can lead to full elevation of privileges, enabling the attacker to execute arbitrary code with high-level permissions. This can compromise system confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The vulnerability affects versions prior to 2.1.2.12, although specific affected versions are not detailed. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.3, indicating high severity, with vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. This means the attack requires local access, low attack complexity, low privileges, user interaction, unchanged scope, and results in high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. No public exploits or active exploitation have been reported yet. The vulnerability was reserved in April 2025 and published in November 2025. The root cause is the installer executing with more privileges than necessary, violating the principle of least privilege and enabling privilege escalation. This vulnerability is particularly concerning for environments where multiple users share machines or where local access controls are weak. It highlights the risk posed by software installers running with elevated privileges without strict controls or validation.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk especially in environments with shared workstations, such as corporate offices, educational institutions, and public sector agencies. An attacker with low privileges and local access could escalate to administrative privileges, potentially gaining full control over affected systems. This could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, installation of persistent malware, disruption of critical services, and lateral movement within networks. The impact is heightened in organizations relying heavily on Dell hardware and software for endpoint management. Confidentiality breaches could expose personal data protected under GDPR, leading to regulatory penalties and reputational damage. Integrity and availability impacts could disrupt business operations and critical infrastructure services. Although exploitation requires local access and user interaction, insider threats or attackers gaining initial footholds through phishing or physical access could leverage this vulnerability. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers often develop exploits post-disclosure. Organizations with stringent local user controls and endpoint protection may mitigate some risk, but the vulnerability remains a critical concern for endpoint security in Europe.

1. Apply patches or updates from Dell as soon as they become available for Display and Peripheral Manager to address this vulnerability. 2. Until patches are released, restrict local user permissions to prevent unauthorized execution of installers or software with elevated privileges. 3. Implement application whitelisting to control which installers and executables can run on endpoints. 4. Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to monitor for unusual installer activity or privilege escalation attempts. 5. Enforce strict local access controls, including limiting physical access to devices and using strong authentication mechanisms. 6. Educate users about the risks of running untrusted installers and the importance of reporting suspicious activity. 7. Regularly audit installed software and running processes to detect unauthorized privilege escalations. 8. Consider deploying least privilege policies and sandboxing techniques to limit the impact of compromised local accounts. 9. Coordinate with Dell support and security advisories to stay informed about updates and exploit developments. 10. For critical environments, consider temporary removal or disabling of the affected software if feasible until patched.