CVE-2024-21429 – A Deep Dive into Windows USB Hub Driver Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

In today's post, we will be taking an in-depth look at the Windows USB Hub driver's remote code execution vulnerability, identified by the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) as CVE-2024-21429. This vulnerability poses a significant risk to Windows users, as it allows attackers to remotely execute arbitrary code on the target system. We will examine the vulnerability details, explore a relevant code snippet, and provide links to the original references. Read on to learn all about this critical vulnerability, and how to protect your systems from potential exploitation.

Vulnerability Details

CVE-2024-21429 is a remote code execution vulnerability that originated in the Windows Kernel-mode drivers, specifically targeting the USB Hub driver. This flaw allows an attacker to remotely execute arbitrary code on the target user's system, taking control of the affected system without their knowledge.

This vulnerability occurs due to a lack of proper input validation in the USB hub driver's handling of specific IOCTL (Input/Output Control) requests. A successful exploit could allow an attacker to send a specially crafted IOCTL request to the victim's system, causing a buffer overflow and ultimately executing arbitrary code. Additionally, this vulnerability does not require user interaction and may be exploited remotely, making it even more dangerous.

Here is a simple example illustrating the vulnerable function in the USB hub driver

NTSTATUS IoctlHandler(PDEVICE_OBJECT DeviceObject, PIRP Irp) {
    PIO_STACK_LOCATION IoStack = IoGetCurrentIrpStackLocation(Irp);
    ULONG ControlCode = IoStack->Parameters.DeviceIoControl.IoControlCode;
    ULONG InputBufferLength = IoStack->Parameters.DeviceIoControl.InputBufferLength;
    PVOID InputBuffer = Irp->AssociatedIrp.SystemBuffer;

    if (ControlCode == IOCTL_USB_HUB_VULN_REQUEST) {
        VulnerableFunction(InputBuffer, InputBufferLength);
    } else {
        // Handle other IOCTLs...
    }
}

NTSTATUS VulnerableFunction(PVOID Buffer, ULONG Length) {
    UCHAR StackBuffer[64]; // Fixed-size stack buffer

    // Missing input length validation, leading to buffer overflow
    memcpy(StackBuffer, Buffer, Length); // Copy user-supplied data to the stack buffer

    // Further processing...
}

The code above shows the IOCTL handler function, which passes the input buffer and its length to the vulnerable function. The vulnerability arises as the vulnerable function fails to validate the input length before copying it into the fixed-size stack buffer, thereby causing a buffer overflow.

Exploit Details

To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must first identify a vulnerable target system running the affected driver. Once the target is identified, they can craft a malicious IOCTL request containing their arbitrary code and send it to the user's system. As the input validation is lacking, the attacker's code overflows the buffer and is executed, granting them unauthorized control over the victim's system.

To mitigate this issue, Microsoft has released a patch addressing CVE-2024-21429. Affected users should ensure that their systems are updated with the latest security updates to prevent any potential exploits targeting this vulnerability.

Original References

1. NVD – National Vulnerability Database: CVE-2024-21429 Detail
2. Microsoft Security Response Center: Microsoft's Patch on USB Hub Vulnerability – CVE-2024-21429
3. MITRE: CVE-2024-21429 – Windows USB Hub Driver Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Conclusion

CVE-2024-21429 is a serious USB Hub driver vulnerability in Windows systems. The lack of input validation in the vulnerable function allows attackers to remotely execute arbitrary code on the victim's system, compromising it without any user interaction. To protect yourself from such attacks, it is crucial to keep your systems updated with the latest patches and security enhancements. Be sure to apply the security update provided by Microsoft, which addresses this specific vulnerability, and stay informed about other potential threats targeting your systems.

Timeline

Published on: 03/12/2024 17:15:51 UTC
Last modified on: 03/12/2024 17:46:17 UTC