CVE-2024-29992 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in the Microsoft Azure Identity Library for .NET, specifically version 1.0.0. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-522, which pertains to insufficiently protected credentials. This means that the library does not adequately safeguard sensitive credential information, potentially leading to information disclosure. The Azure Identity Library for .NET is a critical component used by developers to authenticate and acquire tokens for Azure services securely. The vulnerability allows an attacker with limited privileges (PR:L) and local access (AV:L) to potentially extract highly sensitive credential information without requiring user interaction (UI:N). The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.5, indicating a medium severity level, with a vector string highlighting that the attack complexity is low (AC:L), privileges required are low, and the impact is primarily on confidentiality (C:H) without affecting integrity or availability. The scope remains unchanged (S:U), meaning the vulnerability affects only the vulnerable component and does not extend to other components. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been published yet. The vulnerability could be exploited by an attacker who has some level of access to the system where the vulnerable library is deployed, potentially leading to the exposure of credentials used for Azure authentication, which could then be leveraged for unauthorized access to Azure resources or services.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be significant, especially for those heavily reliant on Azure cloud services and .NET-based applications. Exposure of credentials could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive cloud resources, data breaches, and potential lateral movement within corporate networks. This is particularly critical for sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure, where Azure services are widely adopted. The confidentiality breach could undermine trust, lead to regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR violations), and result in financial and reputational damage. Since the vulnerability requires local access and low privileges, insider threats or attackers who have already compromised a low-privilege account could escalate their access. The lack of impact on integrity and availability reduces the risk of direct service disruption but does not mitigate the risk of data exposure and subsequent misuse.

1. Immediate mitigation should focus on restricting local access to systems running the vulnerable Azure Identity Library for .NET version 1.0.0, ensuring that only trusted users have access. 2. Implement strict access controls and monitoring on endpoints and servers where the library is deployed to detect any unauthorized access attempts. 3. Use application sandboxing or containerization to isolate the vulnerable component and limit the scope of credential exposure. 4. Employ credential vaulting solutions or hardware security modules (HSMs) to store and manage credentials securely, reducing reliance on the vulnerable library's internal credential handling. 5. Monitor Azure Active Directory sign-in logs and audit trails for unusual authentication patterns that could indicate credential compromise. 6. Prepare for patch deployment by tracking updates from Microsoft, and plan for rapid application of patches once released. 7. Educate developers and security teams about secure coding practices and the importance of using updated libraries. 8. Consider implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) and conditional access policies in Azure to mitigate the risk of compromised credentials being used for unauthorized access.