Dell releases new tool to detect BIOS attacks

Computer manufacturing giant Dell released on Friday a new security tool that detects attacks attempting to modify a computer’s BIOS component.

Named the Dell SafeBIOS Events & Indicators of Attack, the tool works by detecting changes to a Dell computer’s BIOS configuration and raising an alert in companies’ management consoles.

The tool’s purpose is to give system administrators the ability to isolate workstations that may have been compromised, to be set aside for remediation.

The tool is not meant to replace the full capabilities of an endpoint security system (antivirus). Instead, the tool is intended to provide protection against a series of attacks (BIOS attacks) that most antivirus products are not engineered to handle or detect.

“Detection at this level allows organizations to respond to advanced threats quickly and successfully, interrupting the attack chain before it’s able to do more damage,” the company said on Friday.

Dell said the tool will be provided for free to all its enterprise customers. The tool has already been made available for download as part of the Dell Trusted Device solution.

The Dell SafeBIOS Events & Indicators of Attack tool is just the latest Dell security offering the company has made available to its customers in recent weeks. Since the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Dell has offered existing customers flexible endpoint security solutions to help them:

• Better secure today’s new working model as quickly as possible with VMware Carbon Black who has eliminated endpoint limits until June 20, 2020.
• Pressure test remote work deployments with Secureworks’ accelerated vulnerability assessments, and get faster deployment and flexible payment options for Secureworks’ managed detection and response and incident response solutions.
• Securely deploy work-from-home devices with Dell Technologies who is offering temporary licenses for Dell Encryption until May 15, 2020.