CVE-2024-29038 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-1283 (Mutable Attestation or Measurement Reporting Data) and CWE-1390 affecting the tpm2-tools software suite, which provides command-line utilities to interact with TPM 2.0 hardware modules. TPM (Trusted Platform Module) is widely used to provide hardware-based security functions, including platform integrity attestation via cryptographic quotes. The vulnerability allows a malicious actor with local access to craft arbitrary quote data that bypasses detection by the tpm2 checkquote utility, which is designed to verify the authenticity and integrity of TPM quotes. This means that an attacker can present falsified attestation data, potentially misleading systems or administrators relying on TPM quotes for security decisions such as secure boot validation, measured boot, or remote attestation. The flaw affects all versions of tpm2-tools starting from 4.1-rc0 up to but excluding 5.7, where the issue has been fixed. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.3 (medium severity), reflecting that exploitation requires local access but no privileges or user interaction, and the impact is limited to confidentiality (partial loss of trust in attestation data) without affecting integrity or availability of the system directly. No known exploits have been reported in the wild as of the publication date. The vulnerability highlights the importance of ensuring that TPM quote verification tools themselves are secure and trustworthy, as they form a critical part of the chain of trust in platform security.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-29038 lies primarily in the potential undermining of TPM-based attestation processes. Many enterprises, government agencies, and critical infrastructure operators in Europe rely on TPM 2.0 for secure boot, measured boot, and remote attestation to ensure platform integrity and compliance with security policies. If an attacker can generate arbitrary quote data undetected, it could allow bypassing security controls that depend on TPM attestation, potentially enabling stealthy persistence or unauthorized changes to critical systems. Although exploitation requires local access, insider threats or attackers who have already gained limited footholds could leverage this vulnerability to evade detection. This risk is particularly relevant for sectors with stringent security requirements such as finance, healthcare, energy, and government. However, since the vulnerability does not allow privilege escalation or direct system compromise, the overall risk is moderate. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate threat levels but does not eliminate the need for remediation.

European organizations should immediately upgrade all instances of tpm2-tools to version 5.7 or later, where the vulnerability has been patched. Since exploitation requires local access, organizations should also enforce strict access controls and monitoring on systems with TPM-enabled attestation, limiting user privileges and employing robust endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect suspicious local activities. Regularly auditing TPM quote verification processes and logs can help identify anomalies indicative of tampering attempts. For environments relying on remote attestation, implementing additional layers of verification beyond TPM quotes, such as behavioral analytics or hardware-based attestation extensions, can reduce reliance on a single point of failure. Security teams should also ensure that firmware and TPM microcode are up to date, as vulnerabilities in TPM hardware or firmware could compound risks. Finally, integrating vulnerability management processes to track and promptly apply updates to security-critical tools like tpm2-tools is essential to maintain platform trustworthiness.