CVE-2024-35250
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows attackers to gain elevated privileges on Windows systems by exploiting a flaw in a kernel-mode driver. It affects Windows operating systems where the vulnerable driver is present. Attackers could execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges.
💻 Affected Systems
- Windows
📦 What is this software?
Windows 10 1507 by Microsoft
Windows 10 1607 by Microsoft
Windows 10 1809 by Microsoft
Windows 10 21h2 by Microsoft
Windows 10 22h2 by Microsoft
Windows 11 21h2 by Microsoft
Windows 11 22h2 by Microsoft
Windows 11 23h2 by Microsoft
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise with SYSTEM privileges, enabling installation of malware, data theft, and persistence mechanisms.
Likely Case
Local privilege escalation allowing attackers to bypass security controls and gain administrative access.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if proper patch management and least privilege principles are enforced.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access to the system. Exploitation involves kernel-mode driver manipulation.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Check Microsoft Security Update for specific KB numbers
Vendor Advisory: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-35250
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Apply latest Windows security updates via Windows Update. 2. For enterprise environments, deploy patches through WSUS or SCCM. 3. Restart systems after patch installation.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict kernel-mode driver loading
windowsConfigure Windows to only allow signed drivers or restrict driver loading policies
Use Group Policy: Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > Security Options > 'Devices: Restrict installation of these device drivers'
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict least privilege access controls to limit initial attack surface
- Monitor for suspicious driver loading activity and kernel-mode operations
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Windows Update history for missing security patches related to CVE-2024-35250Check Version:
systeminfo | findstr /B /C:"OS Name" /C:"OS Version"Verify Fix Applied:
Verify patch installation via: wmic qfe list | findstr KB[number] or Check Windows Update history📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Event ID 4697: Service installation in Security log
- Suspicious driver loading events
- Unexpected kernel-mode process creation
Network Indicators:
- Not applicable - local privilege escalation
SIEM Query:
EventID=4697 OR (EventID=7045 AND (ImagePath="*sys" OR ServiceName contains suspicious driver names))