CVE-2024-38071 is a high-severity vulnerability identified in Microsoft Windows Server 2019, specifically affecting version 10.0.17763.0. The vulnerability is classified as CWE-126, which corresponds to a buffer over-read condition. This type of flaw occurs when a program reads data beyond the boundaries of a buffer, potentially leading to information disclosure or system instability. In this case, the vulnerability resides in the Windows Remote Desktop Licensing Service, a component responsible for managing Remote Desktop Services licenses. Exploiting this vulnerability allows an unauthenticated attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition remotely without requiring user interaction. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.5, indicating a high severity level. The attack vector is network-based (AV:N), with low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), and no user interaction needed (UI:N). The impact is limited to availability (A:H), with no confidentiality or integrity impact. The scope remains unchanged (S:U), meaning the vulnerability affects only the vulnerable component. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability was reserved in June 2024 and published in July 2024, indicating recent discovery and disclosure. The Remote Desktop Licensing Service is critical for organizations relying on Remote Desktop Services for remote access and virtualization, and disruption could impact business continuity and operational availability.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the availability of Remote Desktop Services infrastructure, especially in enterprises and public sector entities that depend heavily on Windows Server 2019 for remote access and virtualization. A successful denial of service attack could disrupt remote work capabilities, delay critical operations, and cause downtime in IT services. This is particularly impactful in sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and manufacturing, where remote desktop access is integral to daily operations. Given the network-based attack vector and no requirement for authentication, attackers could target exposed Remote Desktop Licensing Services from the internet or internal networks, potentially amplifying the risk in environments with insufficient network segmentation or firewall protections. Although no confidentiality or integrity impact is reported, the availability disruption alone could lead to operational losses, reputational damage, and compliance issues under regulations like GDPR if services are interrupted for extended periods.

European organizations should prioritize the following mitigation steps: 1) Immediate inventory and identification of Windows Server 2019 systems running version 10.0.17763.0 with Remote Desktop Licensing Service enabled. 2) Apply any available security updates or patches from Microsoft as soon as they are released; monitor Microsoft's security advisories closely. 3) Implement network-level protections such as restricting access to Remote Desktop Licensing Service ports using firewalls and network segmentation to limit exposure to untrusted networks. 4) Employ intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS) to monitor and block anomalous traffic targeting Remote Desktop Services. 5) Consider disabling or temporarily restricting the Remote Desktop Licensing Service if it is not critical or if alternative licensing mechanisms are available. 6) Conduct regular vulnerability scanning and penetration testing focused on Remote Desktop Services to detect potential exploitation attempts. 7) Maintain robust incident response plans to quickly address any denial of service events impacting remote desktop infrastructure. These steps go beyond generic advice by emphasizing proactive network controls, service inventory, and operational readiness specific to this vulnerability.