CVE-2024-38073 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE • 07/09/2024
Windows Remote Desktop Licensing Service Denial of Service Vulnerability
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/12/2024
This vulnerability resides in the Windows Remote Desktop Licensing service which operates under the Windows Remote Desktop Services framework and is governed by the Microsoft Windows Remote Desktop Services Security Model. The flaw manifests as a denial of service condition that can be exploited through improper input validation within the licensing service component. The vulnerability specifically affects the RDP licensing server implementation where malformed or specially crafted licensing requests can cause the service to crash or become unresponsive, thereby preventing legitimate remote desktop connections from being established. This issue stems from insufficient bounds checking and validation mechanisms in the processing of license request packets that are transmitted through the Remote Desktop Protocol stack.
The technical exploitation involves sending carefully constructed license negotiation messages to the target Windows system's RDP licensing service port 135 or other related licensing ports. When the service processes these malformed requests without proper sanitization, it can lead to memory corruption or resource exhaustion conditions that ultimately result in service termination. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-129 as Improper Validation of Array Index and CWE-704 as Incorrect Type Conversion or Cast, reflecting the underlying issues with input validation and type handling within the licensing service code path. Attackers can leverage this weakness to disrupt business continuity by preventing authorized users from establishing remote desktop sessions, effectively creating a denial of service condition that impacts enterprise network access and administrative capabilities.
From an operational perspective the impact extends beyond simple service disruption as it affects critical enterprise infrastructure management functions. Organizations relying on remote desktop services for system administration, technical support, and remote work capabilities face significant business interruption when this vulnerability is exploited. The attack surface includes all Windows systems running Remote Desktop Services with licensing enabled, particularly affecting domain controllers, server environments, and any systems configured to provide RDP licensing services. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 as Network Denial of Service and can be classified under T1566.001 as Phishing via Social Engineering when used in conjunction with initial access vectors. The exploitation typically requires minimal privileges and can be executed remotely, making it particularly dangerous for organizations without proper network segmentation or monitoring controls in place.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch deployment through Microsoft's security updates, specifically addressing the RDP licensing service vulnerabilities through Windows Update or direct patch installation. Network-level protections include implementing firewall rules to restrict access to RDP licensing ports from trusted networks only, and deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify malformed RDP license requests. Organizations should also consider disabling unnecessary RDP services when not required for operational purposes, and implement monitoring solutions that track service availability and connection patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, security configurations should enforce proper access controls and authentication mechanisms to limit the attack surface while maintaining legitimate administrative access capabilities. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining current security patches and implementing layered defense strategies to protect critical remote access infrastructure against both known and emerging threats in the Windows Remote Desktop Services environment.