Thanks to smokingfrog for the indirect ping!!
Posted on 11/24/2015 6:56:47 AM PST by Not gonna take it anymore
(Reuters) - Major U.S. computer company Dell Inc said on Monday a security hole exists in some of its recently shipped laptops that could make it easy for hackers to access users’ private data.
A pre-installed program on some newly purchased Dell laptops that can only be removed manually by consumers makes them vulnerable to cyber intrusions that may allow hackers to read encrypted messages and redirect browser traffic to spoofs of real websites such as Google or those belonging to a bank, among other attacks. . .
. . .Dell said it would provide customers with instructions to permanently remove the certificate by email and on its support website, a process that will likely be highly technical.
Dell’s security flaw is similar to a so-called “Superfish†program detected on Lenovo computers earlier this year.
News of the security flaw has been all over the internet, since a Reddit user posted about finding the pre-installed program over the weekend.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
https://np.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/3twmfv/dell_ships_laptops_with_rogue_root_ca_exactly/
FYI
Majorgeeks.com has an eDellRoot Certificate Fix, apparently released by Dell:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/edellroot_certificate_fix.html
Dell hasn’t made a good product in years.
Would anyone trust the people that had the snooping software system installed in the new laptops to provide the appropriate solution / information to totally remove it?
If you have recently bought a Dell computer and want to see if you are affected by this, go to Start -> type “certmgr.msc” -> (accept on UAC prompt) -> Trusted Root Certification Authorities -> Certificates and check if you have an entry with the name “eDellRoot”. If so, congratulations, you've been pwned by Dell, the very company you paid for your computer!
SecurityDell ships laptops with rogue root CA, exactly like what happened with Lenovo and Superfish(at reddit) =
I have owned perhaps a dozen good Dells. The last two are dissapointing. One is complete junk. The customer service is a joke. No more dells for me.
We only buy Dells and I have never booted into the Windows provided by Dell. Everything gets wiped so we can install Enterprise version.
How’s that “replacing American engineers with Indian ones” thing working out for ya, Dell?
I had to send my E-series to customer support in a recently opened restaurant in India. My new Dell-E is in the new deli in New Delhi.
Too far for me... I’m partial to the Wisconsin Dells.
Read the user reviews in Amazon, Costco and other sites, which back up your observations.
Mine froze on a picture of American Gothic. They said “There’s a farmer in your Dell.”
About the same quality industry wide.
I use a Dell Precision 3D cad workstation laptop for my engineering duties. This thing is a beast, performance wise. You get what you pay for.
I know. More’s the pity.
All development, testing and manufacturing are done in China. Support is in India or other off-shore.
As long as it doesn’t cost Michael anything, it doesn’t matter.
Never had a problem, with Dell, Lenovo, or any other computer.
1. Obtain bootable Linux CD/DVD (prefer Mepis Linux) and boot.
2. Run "Partimage" program to dual-boot Linux or 'doze (or run Create Backup Disk from 'doze and wipe totally) and configure the Linux Boot and Swap partitions.
3. Click on "Install" icon.
4. Boot
No more problems! *happyface*
Thanks to smokingfrog for the indirect ping!!
I had a dell years ago.. the horrible customer service is legendary...
BINGO!
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