CVE-2024-38122 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE • 08/13/2024
Microsoft Local Security Authority (LSA) Server Information Disclosure Vulnerability
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/19/2026
This vulnerability resides in the Microsoft Local Security Authority LSA Server component which handles critical security functions including authentication and authorization processes within Windows operating systems. The flaw enables unauthorized information disclosure through improper access controls and insufficient validation mechanisms within the LSA server implementation. The vulnerability stems from the LSA server's failure to properly enforce security boundaries when processing specific API calls, allowing attackers to extract sensitive information about the security context and authentication state. This represents a critical weakness in the Windows security architecture that could be exploited by malicious actors to gain deeper insights into the system's authentication mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the LSA server's response handling to specific remote procedure call (RPC) interfaces that are designed to communicate security-related information. When legitimate authentication processes occur, the system inadvertently exposes internal state information through error responses or data structures that should remain protected. The flaw manifests when the LSA server processes certain authentication requests without proper validation of caller credentials or access permissions, resulting in information leakage through structured data responses. This issue directly relates to CWE-200 which describes insufficient output sanitization and improper information exposure in security contexts. The vulnerability affects multiple Windows versions including windows server 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2019, as well as various client operating systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks including credential harvesting and authentication bypass attempts. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could gather information about user accounts, authentication tokens, and system security policies that would significantly aid in planning subsequent attacks. The exposure of LSA server internals could facilitate advanced persistent threat campaigns where adversaries use the leaked information to craft more effective social engineering attacks or to identify weaknesses in the system's security posture. This vulnerability particularly impacts enterprise environments where the LSA server handles authentication for multiple network services and domain controllers. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability aligns with technique T1087.001 for account discovery and T1566 for phishing with social engineering, as the leaked information could be used to craft more convincing attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of security patches from microsoft as well as network segmentation to limit access to LSA server interfaces. System administrators should implement monitoring solutions to detect unusual RPC traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The principle of least privilege should be enforced when configuring LSA server access controls, ensuring that only necessary services can communicate with the LSA server. Additional protective measures include enabling Windows defender application control policies to restrict access to LSA server interfaces and implementing network-based firewalls to limit RPC communication to trusted network segments. Regular security assessments should verify that LSA server configurations comply with security best practices and that access controls are properly enforced. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify potential exploitation attempts through monitoring of LSA server communication patterns and unusual authentication request sequences. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and proper access control implementations in enterprise security environments.