CVE-2024-7490
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a critical buffer overflow vulnerability in Microchip Technology's Advanced Software Framework DHCP server example code. Attackers can exploit improper input validation in the tinydhcpserver.C file to achieve remote code execution on affected systems. Organizations using ASF versions through 3.52.0.2574 are vulnerable.
💻 Affected Systems
- Microchip Technology Advanced Software Framework
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full system compromise with attacker gaining complete control over the device, potentially establishing persistence and pivoting to other network resources.
Likely Case
Remote code execution leading to service disruption, data theft, or deployment of malware on vulnerable devices.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper network segmentation and exploit prevention controls, potentially resulting only in denial of service.
🎯 Exploit Status
CVSS 9.8 indicates critical severity with network-based, unauthenticated exploitation. Buffer overflow in DHCP option parsing makes exploitation relatively straightforward.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: N/A
Vendor Advisory: https://www.microchip.com/en-us/tools-resources/develop/libraries/advanced-software-framework
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
No official patch available since ASF is no longer supported. Migrate to actively maintained framework or apply workarounds.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable DHCP Server Example
allRemove or disable the vulnerable tinydhcpserver.C example code from production systems
Remove tinydhcpserver.C from project files
Disable DHCP server functionality if not required
Network Segmentation
allIsolate affected devices to prevent external exploitation
Implement firewall rules to restrict DHCP traffic
Use VLANs to segment vulnerable devices
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network access controls to limit DHCP traffic to trusted sources only
- Deploy intrusion prevention systems with buffer overflow detection for DHCP traffic
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if ASF version ≤ 3.52.0.2574 is installed and if tinydhcpserver.C is present in the codebaseCheck Version:
Check ASF documentation or build configuration for version informationVerify Fix Applied:
Verify tinydhcpserver.C has been removed or DHCP server functionality is disabled📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual DHCP traffic patterns
- Buffer overflow attempts in system logs
- DHCP server crashes or restarts
Network Indicators:
- Malformed DHCP packets with oversized options
- DHCP traffic from unexpected sources
SIEM Query:
search DHCP packets with option length > expected_max OR buffer_overflow_detected