Medium
Authentication
CVE-2025-36579 — Weak Password Recovery Mechanism in Dell Alienware 16 Area-51 AA16250
Dell Client Platform BIOS contains a Weak Password Recovery Mechanism vulnerability. An unauthenticated attacker with physical access to the system could potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to unauthorized access.
4
Low
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
No exploitation signal in the sources consulted so far.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.2% (30-day exploitation probability)+1
- Technical severity (medium)+3
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
Exploitation
Not confirmed
Not in CISA KEV — an absence of record, not proof it is unexploited.
EPSS FIRST
0.18%
ahead of 7% of scored CVEs · Oct 14, 2026
Affects
Dell
Alienware 16 Area-51 AA16250 and 119 more
CVSS base
5.1
Medium · 2 source(s)
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Exploitation
None
none · proof-of-concept · active
Automatable
No
can an attacker script the kill-chain steps
Technical impact
Partial
partial · total control of the vulnerable component
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
No fix documented by the sources we poll. That does not mean none exists: check the vendor advisory.
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Dell Alienware 16 Area-51 AA16250, Dell Alienware 16X Aurora AC16251, Dell Alienware 18 Area-51 AA18250…).
- No fix documented in the sources: reduce exposure and monitor the vendor advisory.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (authentication), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dell | Alienware 16 Area-51 AA16250 | < 1.9.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Alienware 16X Aurora AC16251 | < 1.8.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Alienware 18 Area-51 AA18250 | < 1.9.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Alienware Area-51 AAT225 | < 1.11.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Alienware Aurora ACT1250 | < 1.10.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Alienware m15 R6 | < 1.42.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Alienware m15 R7 | < 1.37.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Alienware m16 R1 | < 1.32.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Alienware m16 R2 | < 1.18.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Alienware m18 R1 | < 1.32.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Alienware M18 R2 | < 1.20.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Alienware x14 R2 | < 1.30.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Alienware x16 R1 | < 1.30.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Alienware X16 R2 | < 1.18.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | ChengMing 3900 | < 1.37.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | ChengMing 3910/3911 | < 1.32.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | ChengMing 3990 | < 1.35.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | ChengMing 3991 | < 1.35.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell 14 DC14250 | < 1.4.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell 14 Premium DA14250 | < 1.5.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell 15 DC15250 | < 1.6.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell 16 DC16250 | < 1.7.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell 16 DC16251 | < 1.7.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell 16 Premium DA16250 | < 1.7.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell G15 5510 | < 1.38.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell G15 5511 | < 1.41.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell G15 5520 | < 1.38.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell G15 5530 | < 1.30.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell G16 7620 | < 1.38.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell G16 7630 | < 1.30.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell G5 5000 | < 1.28.2 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro 13 Plus PB13250 | < 2.8.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro 13 Plus PB13255 | < 1.9.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro 13 Premium PA13250 | < 2.8.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro 14 Essential PV14250 | < 1.4.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro 14 PC14250 | < 1.10.2 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro 14 Plus PB14250 | < 2.8.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro 14 Plus PB14255 | < 1.9.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro 14 Premium PA14250 | < 2.8.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro 15 Essential PV15250 | < 1.2.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro 16 PC16250 | < 1.10.2 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro 16 Plus PB16250 | < 2.8.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro 16 Plus PB16255 | < 1.9.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro 24 All-in-One Plus/Dell Pro 24 All-in-One | < 1.10.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro Laptop PC14250 | < 1.10.2 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro Laptop PC16250 | < 1.10.2 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro Max 14 MC14250 | < 1.9.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro Max 14 MC14255 | < 1.6.2 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro Max 16 MC16250 | < 1.9.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro Max 16 MC16255 | < 1.6.2 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro Max Micro FCM2250 | < 1.10.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro Max Slim FCS1250 | < 1.10.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro Max Tower T2 FCT2250 | < 1.10.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro Micro / QCM1255 | < 1.9.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro Micro/Micro Plus QCM1250/QBM1250 | < 1.10.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro Rugged 13 RA13250 | < 1.12.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro Rugged 14 RB14250 | < 1.12.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro Slim / QCS1255 | < 1.9.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro Slim Essential QVS1260 | < 1.10.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro Slim Plus QBS1250/Dell Pro Slim QCS1250 | < 1.10.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro Tower / QCT1255 | < 1.9.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro Tower Essential QVT1260 | < 1.10.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Pro Tower Plus QBT1250/Dell Pro Tower QCT1250 | < 1.10.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Slim ECS1250 | < 1.10.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Tower ECT1250 | < 1.10.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Dell Tower Plus EBT2250 | < 1.11.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 13 5320 | < 1.30.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 13 5330 | < 1.28.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 14 5420 | < 1.33.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 14 5430 | < 1.26.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 14 5440 | < 1.19.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 14 7420 2-in-1 | < 1.31.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 14 7430 2-in-1 | < 1.26.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 14 7440 2-in-1 | < 1.19.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 14 Plus 7420 | < 1.34.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 14 Plus 7430 | < 1.26.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 14 Plus 7440 | < 1.22.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 15 3511 | < 1.43.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 15 3520 | < 1.39.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 16 5620 | < 1.33.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 16 5630 | < 1.26.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 16 5640 | < 1.18.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 16 7610 | < 1.36.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | < 1.31.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 16 7630 2-in-1 | < 1.26.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 16 7640 2-in-1 | < 1.18.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 16 Plus 7620 | < 1.34.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 16 Plus 7630 | < 1.26.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 | < 1.22.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 24 5420 All-in-One | < 1.25.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 24 5430 All-in-One | < 1.18.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 27 7720 All-in-One | < 1.25.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 27 7730 All-in-One | < 1.18.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 3020 Desktop | < 1.32.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 3020 Small Desktop | < 1.32.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 3030 | < 1.22.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 3030S | < 1.22.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 3910 | < 1.37.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 5400/5401 | < 1.37.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 5401 AIO | < 1.37.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 5410 All-in-One | < 1.35.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 5510 | < 2.39.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 7700 All-In-One | < 1.37.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Inspiron 7710 All-in-One | < 1.35.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Latitude 3120 | < 1.35.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Latitude 3140 | < 1.28.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Latitude 3140 2in1 | < 1.28.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Latitude 3320 | < 1.41.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Latitude 3330 | < 1.33.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Latitude 3340 | < 1.29.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Latitude 3410 | < 1.36.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Latitude 3420 | < 1.46.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Latitude 3430 | < 1.32.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Latitude 3440 | < 1.29.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Latitude 3450 | < 1.20.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Latitude 3510 | < 1.36.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Latitude 3520 | < 1.46.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Latitude 3530 | < 1.32.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Latitude 3540 | < 1.29.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Dell | Latitude 3550 | < 1.20.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Attack vector
Physical
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
Low
Availability
Low
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.1 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | 0.9 | 3.7 | security_alert@emc.com via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 5.1 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | — | — | dell via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L (score shown at the top: security_alert@emc.com) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 14, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 0.18%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Local/physical vector: focus on endpoint telemetry (EDR) from affected hosts.
- Review authentication logs: logins without MFA, anomalous sessions and recently created accounts.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · dell/dell pro 14 essential pv14250, dell/dell pro micro / qcm1255, dell/dell pro slim / qcs1255, dell/dell pro tower / q
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- CVSS changed · 5.1
- Source status changed · → Awaiting Analysis
- Record created in this database
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
References
1 on the record
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Medium CVE-2026-35159 Dell Client Platform BIOS contains an Authentication Bypass by Primary Weakness… Jul 3, 2026
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No fixed version, patch or mitigation documented.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2025-36579 is "Weak Password Recovery Mechanism in Dell Alienware 16 Area-51 AA16250", rated Medium. It affects Alienware 16 Area-51 AA16250 (Dell); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 5.1 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.18% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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