PT says Dell leads in below-the-OS PC security

Principled Technologies says independent research found Dell PCs with Intel vPro deliver broader below-the-OS security and management features than comparable HP and Lenovo systems. The findings matter as firms try to defend against firmware and hardware attacks that can evade traditional endpoint tools.

Why it matters: - Firmware and hardware attacks can slip past traditional endpoint security tools. - Enterprise IT teams are looking for stronger below-the-OS protection, better device attestation and tighter compliance support. - Principled Technologies says its comparison shows Dell PCs with Intel Core Ultra processors and Intel vPro offer deeper security and system management capabilities than HP or Lenovo alternatives.

What happened: - Principled Technologies conducted independent research comparing Dell, HP and Lenovo business PCs powered by Intel Core Ultra processors with Intel vPro. - The research focused on below-the-operating-system security and firmware protection. - PT used publicly available OEM documentation to evaluate 10 firmware and hardware capabilities designed to prevent, detect and remediate advanced threats. - PT concluded that Dell fully supports all 10 evaluated security features. - PT found that HP fully supports one feature and partially supports three. - PT found that Lenovo fully supports two features and partially supports one other.

The details: - Dell’s fully supported capabilities included signed manifest of factory configuration and quantum-resistant signing updates for the embedded security controller, BIOS and Embedded Controller. - Dell also fully supported quantum-resistant BIOS verification on demand through off-host measurements and Intel Management Engine firmware verification through off-host measurements. - Dell’s feature set included BIOS image capture for forensic and security analysis, early and ongoing attack sequence detection and detection and remediation of common vulnerabilities and exposures. - Dell’s list also included user credential storage using dedicated hardware, hardware-assisted security with Dell, Intel and CrowdStrike, and below-the-OS telemetry integration for improved visibility. - PT highlighted Dell Secured Component Verification as a key differentiator. - For SCV on Cloud, Dell manages the full verification pipeline in-house through its own cloud infrastructure. - PT said that keeps the root of trust in the verification process and enables fleetwide visibility through Microsoft Intune, Dell TechDirect and CrowdStrike Falcon without dedicated verification server infrastructure. - Dell was the only OEM in the comparison to provide off-host BIOS verification and off-host Intel Management Engine firmware verification against known-good references stored in Dell’s cloud infrastructure. - PT said those capabilities support remote device attestation, Zero Trust security architectures and modern compliance requirements. - The report also pointed to the Dell, Intel and CrowdStrike partnership as a differentiator. - Dell Trusted Device integrates with CrowdStrike Falcon and surfaces BIOS verification results, Indicators of Attack, Intel ME Firmware Verification, CVE Detection and Secured Component Verification telemetry in Falcon. - PT said Dell and CrowdStrike jointly developed more than 60 custom indicators of compromise for Dell infrastructure. - Dell ControlVault 3+ achieved FIPS 140-3 level 3 certification, which PT described as the highest credential security level among the OEMs evaluated.

Between the lines: - The report frames below-the-OS controls as a higher-value layer because attackers increasingly target firmware. - Dell’s cloud-backed verification model appears designed to reduce the need for customers to build and maintain their own attestation infrastructure. - The comparison suggests Dell is pushing security differentiation through integrated hardware, firmware and endpoint security partnerships rather than standalone device features alone.

What's next: - Organizations evaluating business PCs may use the PT report to compare how much security and telemetry they can get without adding extra management infrastructure. - PT points readers to the full research report for additional detail. - Principled Technologies also directs readers to its website for more information: more information.

The bottom line: - PT’s research says Dell leads HP and Lenovo on below-the-OS security depth in this Intel vPro comparison, with the biggest advantage in firmware verification, cloud-based attestation and integrated security telemetry.