CVE-2024-38102 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE • 07/09/2024
Windows Layer-2 Bridge Network Driver Denial of Service Vulnerability
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/12/2024
This vulnerability resides within the Windows layer-2 bridge network driver component that facilitates network virtualization and bridging operations between virtual and physical network interfaces. The flaw manifests as a denial of service condition that can be triggered through malformed network packets or improper configuration states within the bridging infrastructure. When exploited, this vulnerability allows an attacker to disrupt network connectivity and potentially cause system instability by leveraging weaknesses in how the driver processes bridge-related network traffic. The technical implementation involves improper validation of network frame headers and bridge configuration parameters during packet forwarding operations, creating opportunities for malformed data to cause unexpected behavior in the underlying driver subsystem.
The operational impact extends beyond simple service disruption as this vulnerability can affect virtualized environments where multiple network bridges are active simultaneously. Systems running Windows Server with Hyper-V or other virtualization platforms are particularly at risk since these environments heavily utilize layer-2 bridging functionality for network isolation and connectivity. The vulnerability can be exploited remotely through network-based attacks that manipulate bridge configuration parameters or by crafting specific network traffic patterns that cause the driver to enter an unrecoverable state. Network administrators may observe intermittent connectivity issues, failed virtual machine migrations, or complete network interface failures as symptoms of this vulnerability in action.
Security practitioners should implement immediate mitigations including disabling unnecessary bridging functionality where possible and applying Microsoft security updates that address the specific driver validation flaws. Network segmentation strategies can help limit the attack surface by reducing the number of active bridge connections and restricting access to bridging configuration interfaces. Monitoring for unusual network traffic patterns or bridge state changes can provide early detection capabilities for exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129 which covers improper validation of input boundaries, and represents a classic example of how network driver vulnerabilities can be leveraged for denial of service attacks. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.004 related to network disruption and could potentially enable further exploitation through privilege escalation vectors if the system is not properly isolated.
Organizations should prioritize patch management for affected Windows versions including server operating systems with Hyper-V roles enabled. The vulnerability demonstrates how low-level driver components can create significant security implications when input validation is inadequate, particularly in virtualized network environments where multiple abstraction layers increase complexity and potential attack surfaces. Regular network infrastructure audits should include verification of bridge configurations to ensure that only necessary bridging operations are active. System hardening practices should focus on limiting administrative access to bridge configuration interfaces and implementing proper network access controls to prevent unauthorized modification of bridging parameters that could trigger the vulnerability condition.