CVE-2024-38074 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE • 07/09/2024
Windows Remote Desktop Licensing Service Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/02/2026
This vulnerability resides within the Windows Remote Desktop Licensing service which operates as a critical component for managing remote desktop connections in enterprise environments. The flaw manifests as a remote code execution vulnerability that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems without requiring authentication, making it particularly dangerous for organizations relying on remote desktop protocols. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the licensing service's handling of specific network requests, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to inject and execute crafted payloads. This weakness directly maps to CWE-121 which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite memory locations and potentially gain code execution privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends significantly across enterprise networks as it affects Windows Server versions including 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2019 operating systems that have the Remote Desktop Services role installed. Attackers can exploit this flaw by sending specially crafted packets to the licensing service port typically running on TCP 135 or other designated ports used by the RDS licensing service. The vulnerability allows for privilege escalation scenarios where attackers can potentially gain SYSTEM level privileges on target systems, enabling them to move laterally throughout the network and access sensitive data resources. This type of attack aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 which involves application layer protocol usage for command and control communications.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying Microsoft security patches released through Windows Update or Microsoft Update Catalog as soon as possible to address the vulnerability. Network segmentation strategies should be employed to restrict access to RDS licensing ports from trusted networks only, while disabling unnecessary remote desktop services where possible. Security monitoring should focus on detecting unusual network traffic patterns targeting port 135 and other RDS-related ports, with intrusion detection systems configured to alert on malformed packets attempting to exploit this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing the principle of least privilege access controls for RDS licensing service accounts and conducting regular security assessments of remote desktop configurations can significantly reduce the attack surface. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and proper network access controls as outlined in NIST SP 800-128 guidelines for Windows system hardening and vulnerability management practices.