CVE-2024-49081 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE • 12/12/2024
Wireless Wide Area Network Service (WwanSvc) Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/08/2025
The CVE-2024-49081 vulnerability represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within the Wireless Wide Area Network Service component of Microsoft Windows operating systems. This vulnerability specifically affects the WwanSvc process which manages wireless wide area network connections and services on Windows devices. The flaw exists in how the service handles certain privileged operations and authentication mechanisms, creating an avenue for malicious actors to escalate their privileges from standard user level to SYSTEM level access. The vulnerability impacts various Windows versions including Windows 10 and Windows 11 across different architectures, making it particularly concerning for enterprise environments where multiple device types may be present.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and privilege handling within the WwanSvc service. Attackers can leverage this flaw by crafting malicious payloads or manipulating specific service interactions that should normally be restricted to privileged processes. The vulnerability allows for arbitrary code execution with elevated privileges, potentially enabling full system compromise. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-276 which deals with improper privileges, and CWE-782 which addresses exposed service on a reachable port. The attack surface is particularly concerning because the WwanSvc component typically runs with high privileges and is accessible through various network and local attack vectors, making it a prime target for exploitation.
Operationally, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations as it can be exploited through both local and remote attack vectors. The threat landscape indicates that attackers are actively targeting such privilege escalation vulnerabilities due to their high impact potential and relatively low exploitation complexity. Once successfully exploited, attackers can establish persistent backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive data, deploy additional malware, or use the compromised system as a pivot point for further network infiltration. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond individual device compromise to potentially affect entire network infrastructures, especially in environments where wireless connectivity is extensively utilized. Organizations with mobile workforces or those relying heavily on cellular connectivity for network operations face particularly high risk.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-49081 should prioritize immediate patch deployment through Microsoft's regular security updates, as this represents a critical vulnerability requiring urgent attention. System administrators should implement network segmentation to limit access to wireless services and disable unnecessary wireless connectivity features where possible. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by ensuring that WwanSvc runs with minimal required permissions and that only authorized users have access to wireless network management interfaces. Additionally, monitoring for suspicious service interactions and privilege escalation attempts should be implemented using security information and event management tools. Organizations should also consider implementing application control measures to prevent unauthorized execution of binaries that might exploit this vulnerability, aligning with ATT&CK framework techniques T1059 and T1068 which cover execution and privilege escalation respectively. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should include checks for proper service configuration and privilege boundaries to prevent exploitation of this and similar vulnerabilities.