CVE-2024-38215 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE • 08/13/2024
Windows Cloud Files Mini Filter Driver Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/06/2026
This vulnerability exists in the Windows Cloud Files Mini Filter Driver component that operates within the kernel mode of the Windows operating system. The flaw allows local attackers with standard user privileges to escalate their access level and gain kernel-level privileges through improper validation of input parameters during file system operations. The mini filter driver interface provides a mechanism for third-party applications to integrate with the Windows file system filtering infrastructure, but this particular implementation contains a critical buffer overflow condition that can be exploited by malicious code.
The technical exploitation occurs when the Cloud Files Mini Filter Driver processes specific file operations that involve user-supplied data structures without adequate bounds checking. This condition creates an opportunity for attackers to corrupt kernel memory and potentially execute arbitrary code with system-level privileges. The vulnerability manifests during routine file system interactions where the driver fails to properly validate the length and content of incoming data buffers, allowing crafted inputs to overwrite adjacent memory locations. According to CWE-121, this represents a classic stack-based buffer overflow condition that enables privilege escalation attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides attackers with complete system compromise capabilities through a local privilege escalation vector. Once successfully exploited, the attacker gains unrestricted access to all system resources including the ability to read and modify any file on the system, modify registry settings, install malicious software, and establish persistence mechanisms. The vulnerability affects multiple Windows versions including windows 10, windows server 2016, and windows server 2019 where the Cloud Files Mini Filter Driver is present. Security researchers have identified that this flaw can be leveraged by malware authors to bypass standard security controls and establish persistent backdoors within affected systems.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch deployment from Microsoft as the primary defense mechanism against this vulnerability. Organizations must prioritize applying the relevant security updates that address the buffer overflow condition in the Cloud Files Mini Filter Driver implementation. Additional protective measures include implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of unauthorized code, enabling kernel mode protection features such as driver signature enforcement, and monitoring for suspicious file system activity patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to technique T1068 for local privilege escalation and T1547 for persistence mechanisms. Network administrators should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify abnormal kernel-level activity patterns consistent with exploitation of this class of vulnerability, particularly monitoring for unusual file system filter driver operations and memory corruption indicators that align with the specific buffer overflow characteristics of this CVE.