SupportAssist, vulnerability reported

Question

According to 'The Register' there is a Security Vulnerability to Dell SupportAssist. Strangely enough, I was made aware of this Report just after I had removed Dell SupportAssist (although my reasons for removing it were nothing to do with this Vulnerability)!! My XPS 8930 was one of those hit by the 'Freeze for 3-5 seconds' problem (as reported elsewhere). After a lot of Hassle Dell eventually took back by PC & rebuilt it - it was returned back just after Christmas. Since being returned, I've deliberately have only re-introduced various Software (etc, etc) so that, if the problem returned, it would be easier to isolate the cause. One of the things that I did NOT do was to run any Dell Utility (including NOT downloading Dell SupportAssist), as it had previously been suggested that these were possibly part of the cause of the '3-5 second Freeze'! I've been keeping a regular check on the in-built Reliability Monitor, which can tell me what/when Errors occur (generally trying to ensure my XPS Reliability is NOT compromised). So far, this has proved reasonably successful and my 'Reliability' has gradually improved (I would also note that I have not noticed a 'Freeze' since I've had the XPS rebuilt). Hence I was very surprised to note, without any request from myself, that Dell 'forced' an 'Application-Install' (of Dell SupportAssist) 2 days ago, followed up (about 1 hour later) by an 'Application-Update' of the Dell SupportAssist & then followed by an 'Application-Reconfiguration' of Dell SupportAssist!! Less than 12 hours later, I started getting Windows Pop-Up Notifications that I needed to run Dell SupportAssist to set up my Email Accounts (they are ALREADY fully set-up & running & do NOT need any more intervention). I then noticed on the Reliability Monitor that I had received an Error Message that 'SupportAssistAppWire' had stopped working & had been closed (the 'Faulting Application Path' being: C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\DellInc.DellSupportAssistforPCs_3.4.8.0_x64__htrsf667h5kn2\win32\SupportAssistAppWire.exe)! Needless to say, I have now removed this Utility amd I really hope that Dell doesn't keep trying to push this back onto my XPS!!

John-Jay · Answer

Dell rebuilt my XPS during December 2019, whilst there were some Dell Utilities included, DellSupportAssist was NOT one of them!

This is the information from Windows inbuilt Reliabilty monitor (timed/dated :- 10:38, 10/02/2020)

Windows Installer installed the product. Product Name: Dell SupportAssist. Product Version: 3.4.1.49. Product Language: 1033. Manufacturer: Dell Inc..

I was NOT at my XPS at the time this was Installed (WITHOUT my Knowledge/Consent)!!

DELL-Nikhil K · Answer

SupportAssist vulnerability has already been fixed on Feb 5th 2020 with the latest build.

We never push SupportAssist automatically on customer system, there are below ways to install SupportAssist on Consumer systems.

1. Factory installation
2. Through Microsoft store
3. Manual installation of SupportAssist through Dell Support site
4. Through Dell Support Site when customer try to perform Driver update or Hardware scan.

Try to remember if you had done any above operation through which SupportAssist get installed on your system.

SupportAssistAppWire is something related to Microsoft Store Appx and if you see in the below post location which you have mentioned that is for Microsoft Store path only.

Thanks

Dell-NikhilK

#iworkforDELL

DELL-Nikhil K · Answer

Hi John-Jay,

As i mentioned for factor install systems SupportAssist is preinstalled software, you might have missed to noticed under control panel.

But the issue which you have mentioned that is not related to Vulnerability which you are referring here, we had already fixed SupportAssist vulnerability with the latest update and same is present under Dell Support site.

Error which you faced related to SupportAssist that is something related to Microsoft APPx.

regarding your below comment about time and date - your installed version of SupportAssist got updated to the latest version on 10/2/2020.

Let me know in case you are facing any other issue regarding SupportAssist.

Thanks

Dell-NikhilK

#iwork4Dell

SupportAssist for PCs

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