CVE-2024-20664 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809, specifically affecting build 10.0.17763.0. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-822, which pertains to untrusted pointer dereference. This type of flaw occurs when a program dereferences a pointer that can be influenced by an attacker, potentially leading to unintended behavior such as information disclosure or system instability. In this case, the vulnerability affects the Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ) component, a messaging protocol that allows applications running on separate servers/processes to communicate asynchronously. The flaw could allow an attacker with low privileges (PR:L) and no user interaction (UI:N) to remotely exploit the vulnerability over the network (AV:N) to cause information disclosure (confidentiality impact is high, integrity and availability impacts are none). The vulnerability does not require elevated privileges or user interaction, making it more accessible to attackers. However, it does require some level of privileges (PR:L), which means the attacker must have limited access to the system. The vulnerability has not been observed exploited in the wild yet, and no official patches have been linked in the provided data. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.5, reflecting a medium severity level due to the high confidentiality impact but limited scope and complexity of exploitation. The vulnerability could allow attackers to access sensitive information handled by MSMQ, potentially leading to exposure of confidential data transmitted or stored by this service. Since MSMQ is often used in enterprise environments for reliable messaging, exploitation could undermine data confidentiality in critical business processes.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-20664 could be significant, especially for those relying on legacy Windows 10 Version 1809 systems with MSMQ enabled. Information disclosure could lead to leakage of sensitive business communications, intellectual property, or personal data protected under GDPR. This could result in regulatory penalties, reputational damage, and loss of trust among customers and partners. The vulnerability's ability to be exploited remotely without user interaction increases the risk of automated scanning and targeted attacks. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and government, which often use MSMQ for critical messaging workflows, may face increased risk. Additionally, since Windows 10 Version 1809 is an older release, it may be more prevalent in organizations with slower patch cycles or legacy system dependencies, common in some European enterprises. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the potential for future exploitation, especially if threat actors develop proof-of-concept code.

1. Upgrade or patch: Organizations should prioritize upgrading from Windows 10 Version 1809 to a supported and patched version of Windows 10 or Windows 11 where this vulnerability is resolved. If upgrading is not immediately feasible, monitor Microsoft security advisories closely for the release of an official patch for this CVE and apply it promptly. 2. Restrict MSMQ usage: Evaluate the necessity of MSMQ on affected systems. If MSMQ is not required, disable the service to reduce the attack surface. 3. Network segmentation: Limit network exposure of systems running MSMQ by applying strict firewall rules and network segmentation to restrict access only to trusted hosts and services. 4. Least privilege enforcement: Ensure that user accounts and processes have the minimum privileges necessary, reducing the chance that an attacker can leverage low-privilege access to exploit this vulnerability. 5. Monitoring and detection: Implement enhanced monitoring for unusual MSMQ activity or network traffic patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to detect suspicious pointer dereference behaviors or memory corruption indicators. 6. Incident response readiness: Prepare incident response plans to quickly contain and remediate any exploitation attempts, including isolating affected systems and conducting forensic analysis.