Dell Security Exposure - Automatic Removal

Yesterday Dell announced a security vulnerability that it inadvertently introduced on its XPS, Precision and Inspiron computers. While they are releasing an automated patch today that is supposed to remove this exposure, they have documented instructions to remove it now.

This applies to machines purchased during or after August, 2015.

We've digested this down to a much simpler process than described elsewhere. Here's how you do this:

1. Go to http://www.interconnected.com/links.

2. Find the link to the Dell utility to remove this. It's called Dell eDellRoot Certificate Remover.

3. Click on that link. Allow the utility to be saved, and open the folder where the utility was downloaded. How you do this depends on which Internet browser you use (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Firefox). The program is currently called eDellRootCertFix.exe.

4. Right click on that utility and select Run as administrator. The utility will run and remove this issue, if it is present.

That's it! We have no reason to doubt that this was an inadvertent error on Dell's part, and that this utility will clear up the issue without further issues.

As always, please contact us if you have questions, need assistance, or want us to do this for you!

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Addendum on 11/25/15:

Another certificate was uncovered and described as a security issue.

Laptop Magazine published steps for removal of both. We present an abridged text version of those instructions here:

1. Right-click on the Taskbar, and select Task Manager or Start Task Manager. -
2. Tap More Details in Windows 10.
3. Select Services from the row of tabs
4. Tap Open Services on the bottom of the window. (In Windows 7, the button is simply Services.)
5. Select Dell Foundation Services.
6. Select Stop the service on the left side of the window.
7. Open File Explorer.
8. Tap on the path field, type "c:\Program Files\Dell\Dell Foundation Services" and click Return.
9. Right-click "Dell.Foundation.Agent.Plugins.eDell.dll"
10. Select Delete.
11. Click the Start button Type "certmgr.msc" into search field. 
12. Tap on certmgr.msc from the top of the Start menu's search results.
13. Select Trusted Root Certificate Authorities from the menu on the left side of the window.
14. Tap on Certificates from the menu on the right side the window
15. Right-click on DSDTestProvider if you see it on the right side of the window
16. Select Delete.
17. Tap Yes to confirm.
18. Right-click on eDellRoot on the right side of the window.
19. Select Delete.
20. Tap Yes to confirm.
21. Tap on the Start button.
22. Select Power.
23. Tap on Restart.
24. Repeat steps 11–14 to view your Trusted Root Certificate files. The DSDTestProvider and eDellRoot certificates should now be gone. If they're not, repeat the steps above

(Laptop Magazine post - http://www.laptopmag.com/articles/remove-dells-sloppy-security-software)