Introduction
Microsoft's November 2024 Patch Tuesday has brought a significant number of updates aimed at enhancing the security and stability of various Microsoft products. This month's release addresses a total of 91 vulnerabilities, including four zero-day exploits. Below is a detailed breakdown of these vulnerabilities by type:
- Remote Code Execution (RCE) Vulnerabilities: 52
- Elevation of Privilege (EoP) Vulnerabilities: 26
- Denial of Service (DoS) Vulnerabilities: 4
- Spoofing Vulnerabilities: 3
- Security Feature Bypass (SFB) Vulnerabilities: 2
- Information Disclosure Vulnerability: 1
Key Highlights
01. Zero-Day Vulnerabilities
- CVE-2024-49039: A critical flaw in the Windows Task Scheduler that allows attackers to elevate their privileges. This vulnerability has been actively exploited in the wild.
- CVE-2024-43451: A spoofing vulnerability that exposes NTLMv2 hashes, enabling attackers to perform "pass-the-hash" attacks.
- CVE-2024-49040: A spoofing vulnerability in Microsoft Exchange Server, which could allow attackers to deceive recipients by spoofing email addresses.
- CVE-2024-49019: An elevation of privilege flaw in Active Directory Certificate Services, potentially allowing attackers to gain domain administrator privileges.
02. Critical Vulnerabilities
- CVE-2024-43639: A remote code execution vulnerability in Windows Kerberos, which could allow attackers to execute code remotely by exploiting weaknesses in the cryptographic protocol.
- CVE-2024-43498: A remote code execution flaw in .NET and Visual Studio, with a CVSS severity rating of 9.8.
03. Other Notable Fixes
- Memory-Related Security Issues: At least 29 updates address memory-related vulnerabilities in SQL Server, each with a threat score of 8.8.
- Remote Code Execution (RCE) Vulnerabilities: 52 RCE vulnerabilities were patched, which could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems.
- Elevation of Privilege (EoP) Vulnerabilities: 26 EoP vulnerabilities were addressed, enabling attackers to gain higher-level access than authorized.
Detailed Breakdown
- Remote Code Execution (RCE) Vulnerabilities: These vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous as they allow attackers to execute arbitrary code on a target system remotely. This month's updates include fixes for 52 RCE vulnerabilities across various Microsoft products.
- Elevation of Privilege (EoP) Vulnerabilities: EoP vulnerabilities enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to higher-level privileges. This month's patch addresses 26 such vulnerabilities.
- Denial of Service (DoS) Vulnerabilities: Four DoS vulnerabilities were fixed, which could disrupt services by overloading systems.
- Spoofing Vulnerabilities: Three spoofing vulnerabilities were addressed, which could allow attackers to deceive users by impersonating legitimate entities.
- Security Feature Bypass (SFB) Vulnerabilities: Two SFB vulnerabilities were patched, which could allow attackers to bypass security features designed to protect systems.
- Information Disclosure Vulnerability: One information disclosure vulnerability was fixed, which could potentially expose sensitive information to unauthorized users.
Conclusion
The November 2024 Patch Tuesday underscores the critical importance of timely updates to protect against potential cyber threats. With 91 vulnerabilities addressed, including four zero-day exploits, it is essential for users and administrators to apply these patches promptly to safeguard their systems.
Stay vigilant and ensure your systems are up-to-date to mitigate the risks posed by these vulnerabilities.
The complete list of the vulnerabilities can be found here - Microsoft release notes.
