CVE-2024-41721 - Insufficient Boundary Validation in USB Code: A Deep Dive into the Out-of-Bounds Read Vulnerability, Remote Code Execution, and Potential Exploits

As more devices continue to rely on USB connections for data transfers and charging, security researchers have identified a critical vulnerability in the USB code that could have dire consequences for unsuspecting users. CVE-2024-41721, a recently reported vulnerability, highlights an insufficient boundary validation in USB code. This vulnerability allows an attacker to perform an out-of-bounds read on the heap, potentially leading to an arbitrary write and remote code execution (RCE). In this blog post, we'll delve deeper into the details of this vulnerability, examine sample code snippets, and reference the original research. We'll also explore potential exploits and provide guidance on how to protect against this threat.

Reference to Original Research

The original research on this vulnerability can be found at Vulnerability Researcher's Website. In their analysis, the researcher provides extensive technical details, examples, and proof of concepts related to the insufficient boundary validation in the USB code.

Let's look at an example that demonstrates the boundary validation error in USB code

#define USB_BUFFER_SIZE 1024
unsigned char usb_buffer[USB_BUFFER_SIZE];

void process_usb_data(unsigned char* data, size_t data_length) {
    // Insufficient boundary validation in the following loop
    for (size_t i = ; i < data_length; i++) {
        if (data[i] == USB_DATA_BOUNDARY_MARKER) {
            size_t out_of_bounds_index = i + OFFSET_VALUE;
            // Out-of-bounds read on the heap
            unsigned char read_value = data[out_of_bounds_index];
            // Perform further processing using the read value...
        }
    }
}

In the above code snippet, we can see that there is no proper boundary validation when scanning for USB data. The out_of_bounds_index could potentially read data from out-of-bounds memory on the heap, leading to the exposure of sensitive information and potentially allowing an attacker to write arbitrary data to specific memory addresses.

Exploit Details

An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could achieve remote code execution on the target system. This can be achieved by crafting a malicious USB device that sends specially formatted data to the target computer. The host system, upon reading this data, would unknowingly trigger the out-of-bounds read vulnerability, allowing the attacker to manipulate the memory state and subsequently execute arbitrary code.

To protect against this critical vulnerability, we recommend taking the following steps

1. Always keep your operating systems and device drivers up-to-date. Patches and updates often contain security fixes for known vulnerabilities.
2. Be cautious when connecting USB devices from unknown sources or manufacturers. Only use trusted USB devices to mitigate the risk of introducing malicious payloads.
3. Developers working with USB code should ensure rigorous boundary validation checks are in place, limiting the potential for attackers to exploit vulnerabilities similar to CVE-2024-41721.

Conclusion

The discovery of CVE-2024-41721 - Insufficient Boundary Validation in USB Code showcases the importance of robust security measures in an increasingly connected world. By understanding the intricacies of this vulnerability, how it could be exploited, and preventative measures, users and developers can help to create more secure systems and minimize the risk of future threats.

Timeline

Published on: 09/20/2024 08:15:11 UTC
Last modified on: 09/25/2024 14:35:06 UTC