Microsoft’s November 2024 Patch Tuesday update has addressed a significant number of vulnerabilities, including two critical flaws that are currently being actively exploited. The update resolves 90 vulnerabilities in total, of which four are rated Critical, 85 Important, and one Moderate in severity. Among these, the most alarming are CVE-2024-43451 and CVE-2024-49039, which affect Windows NT LAN Manager (NTLM) and Task Scheduler, respectively. These vulnerabilities have been used by attackers in the wild, emphasizing the urgency for organizations to apply the patches.
CVE-2024-43451, a Windows NTLM Hash Disclosure Spoofing vulnerability, allows attackers to steal NTLMv2 hashes, enabling them to authenticate as a user and gain access to systems within a network. This vulnerability is not the first of its kind in 2024; CVE-2024-21410 and CVE-2024-38021, which were addressed earlier this year, also targeted the same NTLMv2 hash disclosure issue. The ability to exploit these hashes can give attackers a significant advantage, as they can move laterally within a network, potentially compromising multiple systems.
CVE-2024-49039, a privilege escalation flaw in the Windows Task Scheduler, allows attackers to execute RPC functions that are typically restricted to privileged accounts. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must first be authenticated and run a specially crafted application on the target system to elevate their privileges. While this flaw requires some level of access, it opens up the possibility for advanced persistent threat (APT) actors to escalate their privileges and gain further control over the system. Notably, the Google Threat Analysis Group has assisted in discovering this vulnerability, highlighting its potential ties to nation-state actors.
In addition to these vulnerabilities, Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday update also addresses several other high-risk flaws, including a critical remote code execution bug in Azure CycleCloud (CVE-2024-43602) and another in .NET and Visual Studio (CVE-2024-43498). These vulnerabilities could allow remote attackers to execute malicious code or gain root-level access to systems, further expanding the attack surface as organizations increasingly shift to cloud-based environments. The update also addresses a critical flaw in the Kerberos protocol (CVE-2024-43639) and an OpenSSL vulnerability (CVE-2024-5535). To streamline vulnerability management, Microsoft has adopted the Common Security Advisory Framework (CSAF) to improve transparency and accelerate response times for future vulnerabilities.
