CVE-2024-35248 is a vulnerability identified in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central 2023 Release Wave 1, specifically version 22.0.0. It is categorized under CWE-1390, which relates to weak authentication mechanisms. This weakness allows an attacker to perform an elevation of privilege attack remotely without requiring any prior authentication or user interaction. The vulnerability's CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.3, reflecting a high severity level due to its network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), and no user interaction needed (UI:N). The impact spans confidentiality, integrity, and availability, meaning an attacker could potentially access sensitive business data, alter information, or disrupt service availability. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the absence of patches increases the risk window. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is a widely used enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution, critical for financial and operational management in organizations. The vulnerability could be exploited by attackers to gain unauthorized administrative access, leading to significant business disruption and data breaches. The technical details indicate that the vulnerability was reserved in mid-May 2024 and published in June 2024, with enriched information from CISA, but no patch links are yet available. Organizations running this specific version should prioritize risk assessment and implement interim security controls while awaiting official fixes.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-35248 is substantial due to the critical role Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central plays in managing financial, supply chain, and operational data. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive corporate information, manipulation of financial records, disruption of business processes, and potential compliance violations under regulations such as GDPR. The elevation of privilege without authentication means attackers can bypass normal security controls, increasing the risk of insider-like attacks from external threat actors. This could result in financial losses, reputational damage, and legal consequences. The availability impact could disrupt business continuity, affecting service delivery and customer trust. Given the interconnected nature of European supply chains and business ecosystems, a successful attack could have cascading effects beyond the initially compromised organization.

1. Monitor Microsoft’s official security advisories closely for the release of patches addressing CVE-2024-35248 and apply them immediately upon availability. 2. Implement strict network segmentation to isolate Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central servers from general user networks and the internet, reducing exposure to remote attacks. 3. Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) and strong access controls on all administrative and user accounts related to the ERP system. 4. Conduct thorough access reviews and minimize privileges to the least necessary for business operations. 5. Deploy intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS) with signatures or heuristics tuned to detect anomalous activities targeting Dynamics 365 Business Central. 6. Utilize application-layer firewalls or web application firewalls (WAF) to filter and block suspicious requests. 7. Maintain comprehensive logging and monitoring to detect early signs of exploitation attempts. 8. Educate IT and security teams about this specific vulnerability and the importance of rapid response. 9. Consider temporary disabling or restricting remote access to the affected version until patches are applied. 10. Engage with Microsoft support for guidance and potential workarounds if patches are delayed.