CVE-2024-38010 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809 (build 10.0.17763.0). The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-130, which involves improper handling of length parameter inconsistencies. Specifically, this flaw allows a bypass of the Secure Boot security feature, a critical component designed to ensure that only trusted software is loaded during the system startup process. Secure Boot helps prevent unauthorized code, such as rootkits or bootkits, from executing before the operating system loads. The vulnerability arises from incorrect validation or inconsistent handling of length parameters within the Secure Boot implementation, potentially enabling an attacker to manipulate the boot process. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 8.0 (high), with the vector indicating that the attack requires adjacent network access (AV:A), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), but user interaction is needed (UI:R). The impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high, meaning exploitation could lead to full system compromise, unauthorized code execution at boot, and persistent control over the affected device. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability's nature and impact make it a significant risk, especially for environments relying on Windows 10 Version 1809. No official patches or mitigation links are provided yet, indicating that affected organizations should prioritize monitoring for updates and consider compensating controls. The vulnerability's exploitation could allow attackers to bypass Secure Boot protections, undermining the trusted boot chain and potentially enabling persistent malware that is difficult to detect or remove.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-38010 could be severe. Many enterprises, government agencies, and critical infrastructure operators still run Windows 10 Version 1809 in legacy or specialized environments. A successful Secure Boot bypass could allow attackers to implant persistent, low-level malware that survives OS reinstalls and evades traditional endpoint security solutions. This could lead to data breaches, espionage, sabotage, or ransomware attacks with elevated privileges. The high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact means sensitive data could be exfiltrated or corrupted, and operational disruptions could occur. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, energy, and government are particularly at risk due to the criticality of their systems and the potential for cascading effects. Additionally, the requirement for user interaction and adjacent network access somewhat limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk in environments with shared networks or insider threats. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently provides a window for proactive defense, but the high severity score necessitates urgent attention to prevent future exploitation.

Given the absence of an official patch at this time, European organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Inventory and identify all systems running Windows 10 Version 1809 to understand exposure. 2) Where possible, upgrade affected systems to a supported, patched Windows version that addresses this vulnerability or includes enhanced Secure Boot protections. 3) Restrict adjacent network access to vulnerable systems by segmenting networks and enforcing strict access controls, reducing the attack surface. 4) Educate users about the risk of interacting with untrusted content or devices that could trigger exploitation, since user interaction is required. 5) Enable and enforce Secure Boot policies through Group Policy or device management tools to ensure Secure Boot is active and properly configured. 6) Monitor system boot logs and security event logs for anomalies that could indicate Secure Boot tampering attempts. 7) Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting low-level boot or firmware tampering. 8) Prepare incident response plans specifically addressing boot-level compromises to enable rapid containment and recovery. These targeted measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on the unique exploitation vector and environment of this vulnerability.