CVE-2025-29983: Dell Trusted Device Agent Escalation Flaw

CVE-2025-29983 Overview

CVE-2025-29983 is a link following vulnerability [CWE-59] in Dell Trusted Device Agent. Versions prior to 7.0.3.0 improperly resolve symbolic or hard links before accessing files. A local, low-privileged attacker can exploit this behavior to redirect file operations performed by the privileged agent. Successful exploitation results in elevation of privileges on the affected host. The flaw requires user interaction and local access, but it grants full impact to confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Dell addressed the issue in security advisory DSA-2025-151.

Critical Impact
A local attacker with low privileges can leverage improper link resolution in the Dell Trusted Device Agent to elevate privileges and gain full control over affected endpoints.

Affected Products

Dell Trusted Device Agent versions prior to 7.0.3.0
Endpoints running the vulnerable trusted_device_agent service
Windows systems where the Dell Trusted Device Agent operates with elevated privileges

Discovery Timeline

2025-04-15 - CVE-2025-29983 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-29983

Vulnerability Analysis

Dell Trusted Device Agent performs file operations without properly validating whether a target path is a symbolic link, junction, or hard link. The agent runs with elevated privileges to enforce device trust posture on Windows endpoints. When it reads or writes files in user-writable locations, it follows links to their targets. An attacker who plants a crafted link before the privileged process accesses the path can redirect the operation to a protected file. This class of flaw is tracked as [CWE-59] Improper Link Resolution Before File Access.

Root Cause

The root cause lies in the agent's file access logic, which resolves links at operation time rather than validating the canonical path against expected trust boundaries. Because the process runs with higher privileges than the attacker, following a link created in a user-writable directory allows the attacker to influence privileged file writes, reads, or deletions.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires local access to the target host with low privileges and user interaction. The attacker plants a link in a location that the Dell Trusted Device Agent will later access. When the privileged process operates on the link, the operation executes against the attacker-chosen target. This can be used to overwrite protected files, drop payloads into privileged directories, or corrupt system state to achieve elevation of privileges.

No public proof-of-concept exploit is available for CVE-2025-29983, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. See the Dell Security Advisory DSA-2025-151 for vendor-supplied technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-29983

Indicators of Compromise

Creation of symbolic links, junctions, or hard links in directories accessed by the Dell Trusted Device Agent process
Unexpected file writes to protected paths correlated with trusted_device_agent process activity
New or modified files in Program Files or ProgramData directories owned by non-administrative users
Presence of Dell Trusted Device Agent binaries at versions earlier than 7.0.3.0

Detection Strategies

Inventory endpoints for installed Dell Trusted Device Agent versions and flag any release earlier than 7.0.3.0
Monitor process telemetry for the Dell Trusted Device Agent accessing files under user-writable directories
Alert on link creation events (CreateSymbolicLink, CreateHardLink, junction creation) by low-privileged users targeting paths later accessed by privileged processes

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable Windows object access auditing on directories used by the Dell Trusted Device Agent
Correlate file system events with process integrity levels to identify privilege boundary crossings
Track anomalous privilege escalation events on endpoints running the vulnerable agent

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-29983

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade Dell Trusted Device Agent to version 7.0.3.0 or later on all managed endpoints
Identify vulnerable installations through software inventory and prioritize systems with multiple local users
Restrict local user permissions on directories accessed by the Trusted Device Agent until patching completes

Patch Information

Dell has released a fixed version of Trusted Device Agent that addresses CVE-2025-29983. Administrators should apply the update documented in Dell Security Advisory DSA-2025-151. Upgrading to version 7.0.3.0 or newer eliminates the improper link resolution behavior.

Workarounds

Limit interactive local logon rights on endpoints running vulnerable versions of the agent
Apply file system access controls that prevent low-privileged users from creating links in directories accessed by the agent
Where patching is delayed, temporarily disable or uninstall the Dell Trusted Device Agent on high-risk hosts

bash

# Query installed Dell Trusted Device Agent version on Windows via PowerShell
Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Product -Filter "Name LIKE '%Trusted Device%'" | Select-Object Name, Version