CVE-2024-37981: CWE-191: Integer Underflow (Wrap or Wraparound) in Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809
Secure Boot Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
CVE-2024-37981 is a vulnerability identified in Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809 (build 10.0.17763.0) involving an integer underflow condition classified under CWE-191. This underflow occurs within the Secure Boot security feature, a critical component designed to ensure that only trusted software is loaded during the system boot process. The integer underflow can cause wraparound behavior, potentially allowing an attacker to bypass Secure Boot protections. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.0, indicating high severity. The attack vector is remote (AV:A), with low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring no privileges (PR:N) but some user interaction (UI:R). The scope is unchanged (S:U), but the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high (C:H/I:H/A:H). This means an attacker could remotely trick a user into triggering the vulnerability, leading to full compromise of the system's trust chain and potentially executing unauthorized code at boot time. No patches or known exploits are currently available, but the vulnerability is publicly disclosed and recognized by CISA enrichment. The lack of patch availability increases the urgency for defensive measures. The vulnerability affects legacy Windows 10 systems, which remain in use in many enterprise and industrial environments, making it a significant risk vector for persistent threats targeting secure boot integrity.
Potential Impact
The impact on European organizations is substantial due to the critical role of Secure Boot in maintaining system integrity and preventing unauthorized code execution during startup. Exploitation could lead to persistent malware infections that survive OS reinstalls, theft of sensitive data, and disruption of critical services. Organizations relying on Windows 10 Version 1809, especially in sectors like government, finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure, could face severe confidentiality breaches, system integrity violations, and availability outages. The vulnerability's remote attack vector combined with no privilege requirement increases the risk of widespread exploitation if weaponized. Additionally, the need for user interaction means phishing or social engineering campaigns could be leveraged to trigger the exploit. The absence of patches means organizations must rely on compensating controls, increasing operational complexity and risk exposure. This vulnerability could also undermine trust in supply chain security and hardware root of trust mechanisms, with long-term implications for cybersecurity posture in Europe.
Mitigation Recommendations
Given the absence of official patches, European organizations should implement layered mitigations: 1) Disable or restrict use of Windows 10 Version 1809 systems where possible, prioritizing upgrades to supported, patched Windows versions. 2) Enforce strict user awareness training to reduce successful social engineering attempts that could trigger user interaction requirements. 3) Implement network segmentation and access controls to limit remote attack surface, especially for legacy systems. 4) Monitor Secure Boot logs and system integrity events for anomalies indicating potential exploitation attempts. 5) Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting boot-level tampering or unusual bootloader behavior. 6) Use hardware-based security features such as TPM and UEFI Secure Boot with updated firmware to add additional layers of defense. 7) Coordinate with vendors and security communities for timely patch releases and threat intelligence updates. 8) Prepare incident response plans specifically addressing Secure Boot bypass scenarios to minimize impact if exploitation occurs.
Affected Countries
Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, Belgium, Sweden, Austria
CVE-2024-37981: CWE-191: Integer Underflow (Wrap or Wraparound) in Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809
Description
Secure Boot Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
AI-Powered Analysis
Technical Analysis
CVE-2024-37981 is a vulnerability identified in Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809 (build 10.0.17763.0) involving an integer underflow condition classified under CWE-191. This underflow occurs within the Secure Boot security feature, a critical component designed to ensure that only trusted software is loaded during the system boot process. The integer underflow can cause wraparound behavior, potentially allowing an attacker to bypass Secure Boot protections. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.0, indicating high severity. The attack vector is remote (AV:A), with low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring no privileges (PR:N) but some user interaction (UI:R). The scope is unchanged (S:U), but the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high (C:H/I:H/A:H). This means an attacker could remotely trick a user into triggering the vulnerability, leading to full compromise of the system's trust chain and potentially executing unauthorized code at boot time. No patches or known exploits are currently available, but the vulnerability is publicly disclosed and recognized by CISA enrichment. The lack of patch availability increases the urgency for defensive measures. The vulnerability affects legacy Windows 10 systems, which remain in use in many enterprise and industrial environments, making it a significant risk vector for persistent threats targeting secure boot integrity.
Potential Impact
The impact on European organizations is substantial due to the critical role of Secure Boot in maintaining system integrity and preventing unauthorized code execution during startup. Exploitation could lead to persistent malware infections that survive OS reinstalls, theft of sensitive data, and disruption of critical services. Organizations relying on Windows 10 Version 1809, especially in sectors like government, finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure, could face severe confidentiality breaches, system integrity violations, and availability outages. The vulnerability's remote attack vector combined with no privilege requirement increases the risk of widespread exploitation if weaponized. Additionally, the need for user interaction means phishing or social engineering campaigns could be leveraged to trigger the exploit. The absence of patches means organizations must rely on compensating controls, increasing operational complexity and risk exposure. This vulnerability could also undermine trust in supply chain security and hardware root of trust mechanisms, with long-term implications for cybersecurity posture in Europe.
Mitigation Recommendations
Given the absence of official patches, European organizations should implement layered mitigations: 1) Disable or restrict use of Windows 10 Version 1809 systems where possible, prioritizing upgrades to supported, patched Windows versions. 2) Enforce strict user awareness training to reduce successful social engineering attempts that could trigger user interaction requirements. 3) Implement network segmentation and access controls to limit remote attack surface, especially for legacy systems. 4) Monitor Secure Boot logs and system integrity events for anomalies indicating potential exploitation attempts. 5) Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting boot-level tampering or unusual bootloader behavior. 6) Use hardware-based security features such as TPM and UEFI Secure Boot with updated firmware to add additional layers of defense. 7) Coordinate with vendors and security communities for timely patch releases and threat intelligence updates. 8) Prepare incident response plans specifically addressing Secure Boot bypass scenarios to minimize impact if exploitation occurs.
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Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.1
- Assigner Short Name
- microsoft
- Date Reserved
- 2024-06-10T21:22:19.230Z
- Cisa Enriched
- true
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
Threat ID: 682d981dc4522896dcbdb70d
Added to database: 5/21/2025, 9:08:45 AM
Last enriched: 10/14/2025, 11:05:39 PM
Last updated: 10/16/2025, 3:18:23 PM
Views: 30
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