CVE-2024-26179 is a high-severity heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability (CWE-122) affecting Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809, specifically build 10.0.17763.0. The flaw resides in the Windows Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS), a network service responsible for routing and remote access capabilities. This vulnerability allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected system by sending specially crafted network packets to the RRAS service. The vulnerability is exploitable over the network (AV:N) without requiring privileges (PR:N), but it requires user interaction (UI:R), such as the user initiating a connection or interaction that triggers the vulnerability. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability (all rated high), meaning successful exploitation could lead to full system compromise, data theft, or denial of service. The scope is unchanged (S:U), indicating the exploit affects only the vulnerable component without extending to other system components. The exploitability is rated low complexity (AC:L), and no known exploits are currently reported in the wild. The vulnerability was publicly disclosed on April 9, 2024, and no official patches have been linked yet. Given the critical role of RRAS in enterprise and remote networking environments, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to systems still running Windows 10 Version 1809, which is an older but still in-use version in some organizations. Attackers could leverage this flaw to gain remote code execution capabilities, potentially leading to lateral movement within networks or persistent footholds.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-26179 is substantial, especially for those relying on legacy Windows 10 Version 1809 systems in their infrastructure. Enterprises using RRAS for VPN, remote access, or routing services are at risk of remote compromise without authentication, which could lead to data breaches, ransomware deployment, or disruption of critical network services. The vulnerability threatens confidentiality by allowing unauthorized data access, integrity by permitting arbitrary code execution that can alter system or network configurations, and availability by enabling denial-of-service conditions. Sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure, which often maintain legacy systems due to operational constraints, could face severe operational and reputational damage. Additionally, the requirement for user interaction means that social engineering or phishing campaigns could be used to trigger the exploit, increasing the attack surface. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently provides a window for proactive mitigation, but the high CVSS score (8.8) indicates that once weaponized, the vulnerability could be devastating.

1. Immediate prioritization of upgrading or patching Windows 10 Version 1809 systems is critical. Although no official patch links are provided, organizations should monitor Microsoft’s security advisories closely and apply updates as soon as they become available. 2. Disable or restrict the Windows Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) on systems where it is not essential, reducing the attack surface. 3. Implement network-level controls such as firewall rules to block unsolicited inbound traffic to RRAS-related ports from untrusted networks, especially the internet. 4. Employ network segmentation to isolate legacy systems running Windows 10 Version 1809 from critical assets and sensitive data repositories. 5. Enhance user awareness training to mitigate the risk of social engineering attacks that could trigger the required user interaction for exploitation. 6. Deploy intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) with updated signatures to detect anomalous RRAS traffic patterns indicative of exploitation attempts. 7. Conduct regular vulnerability scanning and penetration testing focused on legacy systems to identify and remediate exposures proactively. 8. Consider migration plans to supported Windows versions to eliminate reliance on outdated and vulnerable operating systems.