Dell computers admit to security flaw

Computer giant Dell has acknowledged a “profound security flaw” in computers sold to customers that could leave them open to attacks from hackers, allowing them to harvest important personal data such as bank details.

Dell has released a statement which explains that a security certificate ‘eDellRoot’ pre-installed on some Dell laptops has “unintentionally introduced a security vulnerability”.

The certificate, which was intended to allow Dell’s support teams to quickly identify a customer’s computer model and provide speedier solutions, could in fact be exploited by hackers, providing a way in for them to access encrypted data and coerce users into giving away sensitive information like passwords and bank details through phishing scams. Dell has issued instructions on how to remove the certificate through use of a downloadable patch.

While Dell maintain that “security and privacy is a top concern and priority” it’s imperative that businesses take their own steps to protect themselves through anti-virus software, firewalls, regular patch updates and a robust internet security policy.

Here at ECL we have extensive experience in protecting businesses against the latest computer viruses, spam, phishing scams and other threats. For more information please, please call us on 01268 575300 or email us on info@ecl.co.uk