CVE-2024-38091 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-166 (Improper Handling of Missing Special Element) affecting the WS-Discovery service in Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809 (build 10.0.17763.0). WS-Discovery is a network protocol used for automatic discovery of devices and services on a local network, commonly leveraged in enterprise and industrial environments. The vulnerability occurs when the WS-Discovery service improperly processes messages missing a required special element, causing the service to crash or become unresponsive, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. The flaw can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication or user interaction, as the attacker only needs to send specially crafted WS-Discovery messages over the network. This leads to an availability impact by disrupting the WS-Discovery service and potentially affecting dependent applications or services. The CVSS v3.1 score of 7.5 (High) reflects the network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction, and a complete loss of availability. Although no active exploits have been reported, the vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the ease of exploitation and potential disruption in enterprise environments still running this older Windows 10 version. No official patches were linked at the time of reporting, but Microsoft is expected to release updates to address this issue. The vulnerability was reserved in June 2024 and published in July 2024, indicating recent discovery and disclosure.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2024-38091 is the disruption of availability of Windows 10 Version 1809 systems running WS-Discovery. This can affect network device discovery, service orchestration, and automated management tools relying on WS-Discovery, potentially causing operational downtime or degraded service performance. Critical infrastructure sectors such as manufacturing, energy, healthcare, and government agencies that use legacy Windows 10 systems may experience interruptions in networked device communications. Enterprises with large Windows 10 1809 deployments risk widespread service outages if targeted by denial of service attacks exploiting this vulnerability. Although confidentiality and integrity are not directly impacted, the availability loss can indirectly affect business continuity and incident response capabilities. The lack of required privileges or user interaction makes the attack vector broad, increasing the likelihood of exploitation in unsegmented or poorly protected networks. Given the vulnerability affects an older Windows 10 version, organizations that have not upgraded or patched remain exposed, emphasizing the importance of timely remediation.

1. Apply Microsoft security updates promptly once they become available for Windows 10 Version 1809 to address CVE-2024-38091. 2. If patching is delayed, implement network-level controls to restrict WS-Discovery traffic (UDP port 3702) to trusted hosts only, using firewalls or network segmentation. 3. Monitor network traffic for anomalous WS-Discovery messages that could indicate exploitation attempts. 4. Consider upgrading affected systems to a supported and fully patched Windows version to reduce exposure to legacy vulnerabilities. 5. Employ intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) with signatures or heuristics for WS-Discovery anomalies. 6. Conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing focused on network services like WS-Discovery. 7. Educate IT staff about the risks of legacy Windows versions and the importance of minimizing attack surfaces by disabling unnecessary services where feasible.