Windows Mark of the Web Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2024-38213

What is CVE-2024-38213?

CVE-2024-38213 is a significant vulnerability identified within the Microsoft Windows operating system that poses a security risk by enabling a bypass of the Mark of the Web (MOTW) security feature. The MOTW is intended to inform users about the potential hazards of opening files downloaded from the internet. This vulnerability could undermine this protective measure, potentially leading organizations to inadvertently execute harmful content without the usual warnings, thereby exposing them to various security threats.

Technical Details

The vulnerability is classified as a security feature bypass, which allows attackers to circumvent protections intended to prevent malicious web content from affecting users' systems. By exploiting this flaw, an attacker could deliver harmful code that appears legitimate, ultimately leading to unintended execution on a user’s machine. This vulnerability may require specific user interaction or social engineering tactics to be successfully exploited, but the consequences can still be severe, particularly in systems lacking updated security measures.

Potential Impact of CVE-2024-38213

1. Unauthorized Code Execution: Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to execute malicious code on affected systems without user knowledge, leading to data theft, compromise of sensitive information, or the installation of additional malware.

2. Increased Phishing Risks: Since the MOTW feature serves to warn users about potentially dangerous content, bypassing it could heighten the risk of successful phishing attacks. Malicious actors could exploit this vulnerability to trick users into opening harmful files, believing them to be safe.

3. Widespread Infection and Propagation: By enabling unauthorized code execution, this vulnerability opens the door for further infections to spread across networks or systems, potentially assisting in lateral movement within organizational infrastructures and increasing the scope of the attack.

News Articles

The Cyber Express

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Copy2pwn Bypasses Windows Mark Of The Web Security Feature

Researchers uncovered a copy2pwn vulnerability, CVE-2024-38213, that allows threat actors to bypass Windows' Mark-of-the-Web (MotW) protections.

Forbes

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New Windows Cyber Attacks Confirmed—CISA Says Update By September 3

The U.S. Cybersecurity Agency has warned that Windows users must update systems before September 3 as multiple new zero-day attacks are confirmed by Microsoft.

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New Windows SmartScreen bypass exploited as zero-day since March

Today, Microsoft revealed that a Mark of the Web security bypass vulnerability exploited by attackers as a zero-day to bypass SmartScreen protection was patched during the June 2024 Patch Tuesday.

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