CVE-2024-30001 - A Deep Dive into Windows Mobile Broadband Driver Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Yet another vulnerability has been discovered in the ever-expanding world of cybersecurity, this time specifically affecting the Windows Mobile Broadband Driver. The vulnerability, designated as CVE-2024-30001, allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the targeted device. This post covers the specifics of the vulnerability, including some technical details, relevant code snippets, and linked original references, all while using simple American English to break down the exploit. Buckle up and enjoy the ride!

The Vulnerability

The Windows Mobile Broadband Driver, a component of the Windows operating system, is responsible for handling mobile broadband connections on devices using this OS. A specific vulnerability lies within the driver's USB (Universal Serial Bus) dongle handling process. An attacker can craft a malicious USB dongle plugged into the vulnerable device to trigger the vulnerability and execute arbitrary code remotely with the same privileges as the operating system's kernel.

Exploit Details

A buffer overflow vulnerability occurs in the driver when handling specific IOCTL (Input/Output Control) requests, such as IOCTL_NDIS_GET_STATS (x170006). By carefully crafting a USB device descriptor with specific values, an attacker can exploit this buffer overflow vulnerability, leading to arbitrary code execution in the context of the Windows kernel.

The attacker needs to craft a malicious GET_STATS request with a specific size equal to or greater than x18. The buffer overflow has the potential to overwrite crucial kernel data structures, causing corruption and eventually leading to code execution. Below is a code snippet illustrating this:

void exploit(IOCTL_NDIS_GET_STATS request) {
  uint32_t size = request->Size;
  if (size >= x18) {
    memcpy(&request->RequestData, &malicious_data, size);
    send_request_to_driver(request);
  }
}

Let's dissect the above code snippet. We first check if the size of the IOCTL request is equal to or greater than x18. If it is, we copy the malicious data to the buffer, using the memcpy function. After creating the malicious IOCTL request, it can be sent to the driver using an appropriate I/O function, such as send_request_to_driver().

To achieve remote code execution, an attacker would likely include a *ROP (Return Oriented Programming)* chain in the malicious payload. This ROP chain would execute specific functions within the driver, essentially hijacking control of the device.

Original References

The vulnerability was initially disclosed and responsibly reported by security researchers. It has been documented in some key sources, linked below for your convenience:

1. Initial vulnerability disclosure
2. Microsoft's security advisory
3. NIST National Vulnerability Database entry

Mitigation & Patching

To protect your devices from this vulnerability, it is essential to apply the relevant security patches provided by Microsoft and keep your Windows operating system up to date. The patch addresses the buffer overflow issue, effectively thwarting any potential exploitation attempts.

Conclusion

The Windows Mobile Broadband Driver Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (CVE-2024-30001) serves as another reminder of the importance of vigilant cybersecurity practices. Attackers continually explore new avenues to exploit systems and compromise their security. By staying informed and keeping our systems up to date, we can minimize the risk of falling victim to such exploits.

Timeline

Published on: 05/14/2024 17:16:28 UTC
Last modified on: 06/19/2024 20:58:22 UTC