Dell adds quantum-ready security & AI recovery tools

Dell Technologies has introduced new cybersecurity and cyber recovery products for commercial PCs, data protection systems and managed detection services, with a focus on quantum-related risks and AI-linked attack paths.

The update covers three areas: firmware and BIOS protections for Dell commercial PCs, additions to the PowerProtect recovery portfolio, and broader monitoring for AI data platforms through Dell's managed detection and response service.

PC security

Dell is adding quantum-ready security measures to commercial PCs launching in 2026, focusing on lower-level components such as the embedded controller and BIOS, which can be difficult to inspect once compromised.

The embedded controller changes verify firmware updates with signatures designed to withstand future quantum attacks. This is intended to reduce the risk of malicious or altered firmware being accepted during updates, including in supply chain scenarios.

Dell is also updating BIOS Verification to check the BIOS against a trusted reference stored in its cloud. If the BIOS does not match that reference, the system flags the device and sends an alert for investigation.

The move reflects a broader shift among technology suppliers as they prepare for post-quantum cryptography standards. Quantum computing is widely expected to weaken some current encryption and digital signature methods, though large-scale practical threats are still emerging.

Recovery tools

Dell has also expanded the PowerProtect line with updates aimed at faster ransomware detection and simpler restoration after an incident. The additions include an AI-powered assistant in PowerProtect Data Manager, anomaly detection for Dell PowerStore snapshots, and a unified dashboard for distributed systems.

The anomaly detection features are intended to identify signs of ransomware earlier in backup and snapshot data. The dashboard gives administrators a single view across multiple environments.

Dell also introduced the PowerProtect Data Domain DD3410 appliance for smaller sites. In internal testing, it delivered up to 2x faster backups and 46% faster data restores than the DD3300 appliance.

Data Domain Operating System has also been updated to support Transport Layer Security 1.3. The change is intended to strengthen protection for data moving between systems and align with US National Institute of Standards and Technology requirements for encrypted connections.

Research cited by Dell found that only 40% of global organisations successfully contained and recovered from a cyberattack or incident drill with minimal impact. That figure underlines the pressure on suppliers to demonstrate not only prevention tools but also clear recovery processes.

AI data

Dell is extending its Managed Detection and Response service to PowerScale, its scale-out storage platform often used for unstructured data and AI workloads. The change is intended to close visibility gaps in environments where traditional endpoint tools may not provide direct coverage.

According to Dell, the service gives security teams additional visibility into threats targeting AI data storage platforms and automates parts of the response process. Dell cybersecurity analysts support the offering.

A separate Endpoint Detection and Response-only option is also being added. The service monitors, investigates and responds to endpoint threats using threat detection and next-generation antivirus tools.

When used with Dell PCs, the EDR service can also draw on BIOS verification data. If a machine's BIOS deviates from its trusted baseline, an alert can be sent to Dell's managed response team for investigation.

John Roese, Global CTO and Chief AI Officer at Dell Technologies, linked the changes to two broad technology trends: more autonomous AI systems and the eventual arrival of practical quantum threats.

"Quantum computing will break the encryption and digital signatures protecting data today, while agentic AI raises the stakes by increasing the value of data and autonomously shares it across teams and organizations. We've been preparing for both shifts for almost a decade through our investments in post-quantum cryptography and our approach to cyber resilience and security by design. We are continuing to bring these protections across our portfolio to help organizations navigate emerging technologies and stay ahead of tomorrow's threats," said Roese.

Dell also cited Palladium Hotel Group, which uses PowerProtect tools in its IT operations. The hotel group said backup and recovery performance had improved while disruption was reduced.

"In luxury hospitality, even a brief IT disruption during peak operations can have a major impact. We work with heavy workloads, and PowerProtect Data Manager's Transparent Snapshots make a real difference. We get no business disruption, lower risk of data loss and the VM backup times are cut in half. Coupled with our PowerProtect Data Domain appliance, deduplication and compression optimize bandwidth, remote backups are seamless and storage requirements are drastically reduced," said Javier González Belinchón, Director, Corporate Infrastructure & Operations, Palladium Hotel Group.

Industry analyst Fernando Montenegro said the security challenge is expanding as AI systems concentrate more valuable information in platforms that are not always visible to existing controls.

"As AI adoption expands, security teams need to protect more high-value data in areas where traditional controls may not provide adequate visibility into how threats move across AI workloads and data platforms. Dell's approach reflects this broader cyber resilience strategy aimed at reducing risk, deepening security visibility and helping organizations recover more effectively when incidents occur," said Montenegro.