The punches keep on coming for my favorite PC manufacturer. Dell has started warning customers this week that spyware managed to be shipped in the firmware for their PowerEdge R410 Server Series. The malicious software is installed on the hardware itself in firmware. Dell was not specific about the type or name of the spyware detected, or how to get rid of it.

What is known is that the spyware is windows-centric and will not affect other operating systems. New servers ordered through Dell will not be infected, although why you’re ordering from them, I don’t know.

If you happen to have recently bought a R410, Dell should be contacting you via phone and mail. If I were you though, I’d get on the phone right now and let them know just how unhappy you are and how this is causing a production-level disruption to your organization.

Sources:

PowerEdge R410 replacement motherboard contains malware?! (Dell Support Forums)
Dell warns on spyware infected server motherboards (The Register)