CVE-2024-29937 in OpenBSD
Summary
by MITRE • 04/11/2024
NFS in a BSD derived codebase, as used in OpenBSD through 7.4 and FreeBSD through 14.0-RELEASE, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a bug that is unrelated to memory corruption.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/14/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-29937 represents a critical security flaw within the Network File System implementation found in BSD-derived operating systems including OpenBSD through version 7.4 and FreeBSD through version 14.0-RELEASE. This issue stems from a fundamental design flaw in the NFS server implementation that enables remote attackers to achieve arbitrary code execution without relying on traditional memory corruption vectors such as buffer overflows or use-after-free conditions. The vulnerability exists within the core network file system protocol handling mechanisms that govern how remote clients interact with file systems over network connections, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited from any location capable of establishing an NFS connection to the affected system. The flaw demonstrates a classic example of improper input validation and handling within network protocol implementations, where the system fails to properly sanitize or validate incoming requests from remote NFS clients.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in how the NFS implementation processes certain malformed or specially crafted requests that are sent by remote attackers. Unlike typical memory corruption vulnerabilities that exploit buffer overflows or pointer manipulation, this flaw operates through a logic error or improper state handling within the NFS server code. The vulnerability allows attackers to manipulate the execution flow of the NFS service through carefully constructed network requests that bypass normal validation procedures. This type of vulnerability is categorized under CWE-248 as an "Uncaught Exception" or more specifically aligns with improper handling of exceptional conditions in network protocol implementations. The attack vector specifically targets the NFS server daemon which operates with elevated privileges, making successful exploitation particularly damaging as it can lead to complete system compromise and privilege escalation.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-29937 extends far beyond simple network file system access disruption, as it provides attackers with a direct path to arbitrary code execution on affected systems. Systems running vulnerable versions of OpenBSD or FreeBSD that have NFS services enabled and accessible to remote networks become immediately vulnerable to exploitation, potentially allowing attackers to gain root access and establish persistent backdoors. The implications are severe for enterprise environments where NFS is commonly used for shared storage solutions, as a single compromised NFS server can provide attackers with access to critical data repositories and potentially serve as a stepping stone for further network infiltration. Organizations utilizing these operating systems in production environments face significant risk exposure, particularly in scenarios where NFS services are exposed to untrusted networks or where proper network segmentation is not implemented.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-29937 require immediate action from system administrators and security teams to protect affected systems from exploitation. The most effective immediate solution involves updating to patched versions of OpenBSD 7.5 or FreeBSD 14.1 and later releases where the vulnerability has been addressed through code modifications that properly handle malformed requests. System administrators should also implement network-level restrictions to limit NFS service access to trusted networks only, using firewalls to block NFS ports from external networks unless absolutely necessary. Additionally, organizations should consider disabling NFS services entirely if they are not required for business operations, as this eliminates the attack surface entirely. The vulnerability's exploitation potential aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, making it particularly dangerous when combined with other attack vectors. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual NFS traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, and regular security audits should verify that NFS configurations do not expose unnecessary services to external networks.