CVE-2024-38117 is a high-severity vulnerability identified in Microsoft Windows 11 Version 24H2 (build 10.0.26100.0) that involves an out-of-bounds read condition within the NTFS file system driver. Classified under CWE-125, this vulnerability allows an attacker with limited privileges (local access with low privileges) to perform an elevation of privilege attack by exploiting improper bounds checking in the handling of NTFS metadata or file system structures. The vulnerability does not require user interaction and can be exploited locally, meaning an attacker must already have some level of access to the system but can then leverage this flaw to gain higher privileges, potentially SYSTEM-level access. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.8, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as the attacker could read memory beyond intended boundaries, potentially leading to information disclosure, system instability, or execution of arbitrary code with elevated privileges. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet, indicating that mitigation efforts should be prioritized. The vulnerability's attack vector is local (AV:L), with low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring privileges (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), and scope unchanged (S:U). The impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high (C:H/I:H/A:H). This vulnerability is significant because NTFS is the primary file system for Windows, and exploitation could compromise the entire system security, allowing attackers to bypass security controls and gain full control over affected machines.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a serious risk especially to enterprises and government institutions relying on Windows 11 Version 24H2 in their desktop and server environments. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption of critical services, and potential lateral movement within corporate networks. Confidentiality breaches could expose personal data protected under GDPR, leading to regulatory penalties and reputational damage. Integrity and availability impacts could disrupt business operations, affecting sectors such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure. Since the exploit requires local access, insider threats or compromised endpoints could be leveraged to escalate privileges and deepen attacks. The lack of a patch at the time of disclosure increases the urgency for organizations to implement compensating controls to prevent exploitation. Given the widespread adoption of Windows 11 in Europe, the vulnerability could be leveraged in targeted attacks or ransomware campaigns, amplifying its impact on European digital ecosystems.

1. Immediate mitigation should include restricting local access to trusted users only and enforcing strict endpoint security policies to prevent unauthorized local logins. 2. Deploy enhanced monitoring and alerting for suspicious privilege escalation attempts and anomalous NTFS file system activity. 3. Utilize application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect and block exploitation attempts. 4. Apply the principle of least privilege rigorously to minimize the number of users with local access rights. 5. Until an official patch is released, consider isolating critical systems or using virtualization/containerization to limit the impact of potential exploitation. 6. Regularly update and audit system configurations and security controls to reduce attack surface. 7. Educate IT staff and users about the risks of local privilege escalation vulnerabilities and the importance of maintaining secure access controls. 8. Once Microsoft releases a patch, prioritize its deployment across all affected Windows 11 24H2 systems to remediate the vulnerability.