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Dock Hd22q Firmware Update UtilityApplication · Dell

CVE-2024-52537

MEDIUM · 6.7 CVSS v3.1 Published 2024-12-11
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 1.00.23 / 1.00.28 or later.
See remediation →
69/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Dell Client Platform Firmware Update Utility contains an Improper Link Resolution vulnerability. A high privileged attacker with local access could potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to Elevation of Privileges.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · moderate confidence

The Dell Client Platform Firmware Update Utility contains an improper link resolution (symlink) vulnerability that allows a high-privileged local attacker to exploit symbolic link handling, potentially overwriting or accessing sensitive files to achieve elevation of privileges.

MitigationApply the vendor-supplied firmware update from Dell to address the improper link resolution vulnerability and ensure strict file system permissions on the utility directories.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Dock Hd22q Firmware Update UtilityApplication
Affected:< 1.00.23< 1.00.28
Dock Wd19 Firmware Update UtilityApplication
Affected:< 01.00.44< 01.00.28
Dock Wd22tb4 Firmware Update UtilityApplication
Affected:< 01.00.28< 01.00.44

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
High
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify installed Dell Dock firmware update utilities
    Check the system for installed Dell Dock firmware update utilities - look for Dell Dock Hd22q, Dell Dock Wd19, or Dell Dock Wd22tb4 related software. This may be in Program Files, Program Files (x86), or the Dell support directory structure.
    Affected if Any of the three affected Dell Dock firmware update utilities are present on the system
  2. Determine the installed version of the firmware update utility
    Locate the utility executable or check the installed programs list for the version number. Compare against the affected version ranges: Dell Dock Hd22q < 1.00.23 or < 1.00.28; Dell Dock Wd19 < 01.00.44 or < 01.00.28; Dell Dock Wd22tb4 < 01.00.28 or < 01.00.44.
    Affected if The installed version is lower than any of the specified version thresholds for the respective dock model
  3. Check for symlink vulnerability conditions
    Examine the firmware update utility's working directory and temporary file handling. Look for directories where the utility writes files and check if unprivileged users can create symbolic links in those locations.
    Affected if The utility operates in a directory where symbolic links can be created by an attacker to redirect file writes to sensitive locations
  4. Verify file system permissions on the utility directory
    Review permissions on the firmware update utility installation directory. Check if the directory allows file creation or symlink creation by non-admin users.
    Affected if The utility directory has overly permissive write access that could allow a high-privileged local attacker to exploit symlink behavior

A user is affected if any of the three Dell Dock firmware update utilities (Hd22q, Wd19, or Wd22tb4) are installed with a version lower than the specified thresholds AND the utility's directory permits symlink manipulation.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 1.00.23 / 1.00.28 / 01.00.28 or later
Fixed in 1.00.231.00.2801.00.28
Interim mitigation

Apply the vendor-supplied firmware update from Dell to address the improper link resolution vulnerability and ensure strict file system permissions on the utility directories.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Dell Dock Firmware Update Utility version 1.00.23 or later for Hd22q; version 01.00.44 or later for Wd19 and Wd22tb4

  1. 1. Identify the specific Dell Dock model in use (Hd22q, Wd19, or Wd22tb4)
  2. 2. Visit Dell's support website at www.dell.com and navigate to the firmware download section for the specific dock model
  3. 3. Download the Firmware Update Utility version 1.00.23 or higher for Dock Hd22q
  4. 4. Download the Firmware Update Utility version 01.00.44 or higher for Dock Wd19
  5. 5. Download the Firmware Update Utility version 01.00.44 or higher for Dock Wd22tb4
  6. 6. Apply the firmware update following Dell's documented update process
  7. 7. Verify the update was successful by checking the installed firmware version

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Dock Hd22q Firmware Update Utility Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
12.0 hours of engineering $2,130
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,408.

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2024-52537 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data