Remote Code Execution Vulnerability Affects Microsoft Outlook
CVE-2024-21413

9.8CRITICAL

Key Information:

Badges

🥇 Trended No. 1📈 Trended📈 Score: 69,800💰 Ransomware👾 Exploit Exists🟡 Public PoC🦅 CISA Reported📰 News Worthy

What is CVE-2024-21413?

CVE-2024-21413 is a critical vulnerability found in Microsoft Outlook, a widely used email client that facilitates communication and task management for individuals and organizations. This remote code execution vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on the affected systems. If successfully exploited, it could lead to substantial operational disruption, data breaches, and unauthorized access to sensitive information, ultimately compromising an organization's security integrity.

Technical Details

This vulnerability involves inadequacies in the way Microsoft Outlook handles certain inputs, which can be exploited by attackers to execute code remotely. By crafting malicious emails or attachments, an attacker could trigger the execution of harmful code on the recipient's device without their knowledge or consent. The technical specifics surrounding the exploit involve manipulating the application's parsing logic, resulting in a potential execution of commands that could impact the operating environment severely.

Impact of the Vulnerability

  1. Unauthorized Access: The primary concern with CVE-2024-21413 is that it could grant attackers unauthorized access to sensitive data and systems by executing malicious code. This could lead to further network infiltration, where attackers gain control over multiple systems within an organization.

  2. Data Breaches: Organizations vulnerable to this exploit may experience data breaches, risking the exposure of confidential information, intellectual property, and personal data of users. Such breaches could result in severe reputational damage and regulatory repercussions.

  3. Operational Disruption: The exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to significant operational disruptions, including system downtime and loss of productivity. If attackers deploy ransomware or other malicious payloads, organizations may face extended periods of inaccessibility to critical systems, impacting business continuity.

CISA Reported

CISA provides regional cyber and physical services to support security and resilience across the United States. CISA monitor the most dangerious vulnerabilities and have identifed as being exploited but is not known by the CISA to be used in ransomware campaigns. This is subject to change at pace as recent news articles suggest the vulnerability is being used by ransomware groups.

The CISA's recommendation is: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

Affected Version(s)

Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise 32-bit Systems 16.0.1

Microsoft Office 2016 32-bit Systems 16.0.0 < 16.0.5435.1001

Microsoft Office 2019 32-bit Systems 19.0.0

Exploit Proof of Concept (PoC)

PoC code is written by security researchers to demonstrate the vulnerability can be exploited. PoC code is also a key component for weaponization which could lead to ransomware.

News Articles

Homeland Security Alert—Ongoing Critical Microsoft Outlook Attack

The Department of Homeland Security has warned that Microsoft Outlook is subject to an ongoing hack attack.

2 weeks ago

Critical Microsoft Outlook Vulnerability (CVE-2024-21413) Actively Exploited in Attacks - CISA Warns

CISA has issued an urgent warning to federal agencies regarding active exploitation of a critical Microsoft Outlook vulnerability.

2 weeks ago

Critical RCE bug in Microsoft Outlook now exploited in attacks

CISA warned U.S. federal agencies on Thursday to secure their systems against ongoing attacks targeting a critical Microsoft Outlook remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability.

2 weeks ago

References

EPSS Score

5% chance of being exploited in the next 30 days.

CVSS V3.1

Score:
9.8
Severity:
CRITICAL
Confidentiality:
High
Integrity:
High
Availability:
High
Attack Vector:
Network
Attack Complexity:
Low
Privileges Required:
None
User Interaction:
None
Scope:
Unchanged

Timeline

  • 🦅

    CISA Reported

  • 🟡

    Public PoC available

  • 🥇

    Vulnerability reached the number 1 worldwide trending spot

  • 📈

    Vulnerability started trending

  • 💰

    Used in Ransomware

  • 👾

    Exploit known to exist

  • 📰

    First article discovered by Malwarebytes

  • Vulnerability published

  • Vulnerability Reserved

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