CVE-2024-40432 in SD Card Reader Driver
Summary
by MITRE • 10/24/2024
A lack of input validation in Realtek SD card reader driver before 10.0.26100.21374 through the implementation of the IOCTL_SFFDISK_DEVICE_COMMAND control of the SD card reader driver allows a privileged attacker to crash the OS.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/25/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-40432 represents a critical input validation flaw within the Realtek SD card reader driver ecosystem, specifically affecting versions prior to 10.0.26100.21374. This security weakness manifests through the improper handling of the IOCTL_SFFDISK_DEVICE_COMMAND control code, which serves as a communication interface between user-mode applications and the kernel-mode driver component. The absence of adequate input validation creates an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by malicious actors with elevated privileges to execute arbitrary code and potentially cause system instability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient parameter validation within the driver's handling of device control requests. When the IOCTL_SFFDISK_DEVICE_COMMAND control code is invoked, the driver fails to properly sanitize or validate the input parameters provided by the calling application. This lack of validation allows an attacker to craft malicious input sequences that can cause the driver to process invalid or unexpected data structures, leading to memory corruption and subsequent system crashes. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-20 category of "Improper Input Validation" and represents a classic example of how inadequate security controls in kernel-mode drivers can create severe system compromise opportunities.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for systems utilizing Realtek SD card readers, particularly in enterprise environments where privileged access is more commonly available. The ability to crash the operating system through a controlled input sequence means that attackers with local administrative privileges or those able to escalate privileges can effectively perform denial-of-service attacks against target systems. The privilege escalation aspect of this vulnerability is particularly concerning as it allows attackers to leverage legitimate system interfaces to gain unauthorized control over critical system components. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers 'Exploitation for Privilege Escalation' and T1499 which addresses 'Endpoint Denial of Service' attacks.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to possess either local administrative privileges or the ability to escalate to such privileges within the target system. Once achieved, the attacker can utilize the IOCTL_SFFDISK_DEVICE_COMMAND interface to send malformed input parameters that trigger the driver's memory corruption behavior, ultimately resulting in kernel-level crashes and system instability. The attack surface is limited to systems running affected Realtek driver versions and requires a valid device handle to the SD card reader, but the potential for system compromise remains high due to the kernel-mode nature of the vulnerability.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-40432 should prioritize immediate driver updates from Realtek to version 10.0.26100.21374 or later, which contain the necessary input validation fixes. System administrators should also implement additional security controls including mandatory access controls, privilege separation, and regular security auditing of system drivers. Network segmentation and endpoint protection solutions should be configured to monitor for suspicious IOCTL activity patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date device drivers and implementing robust security practices for kernel-mode components, as these represent critical attack surfaces that can be leveraged for system compromise. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of unauthorized programs that might attempt to exploit this vulnerability through legitimate system interfaces.