CVE-2024-38123 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in the Bluetooth driver of Microsoft Windows 11 Version 24H2 (build 10.0.26100.0). The vulnerability is classified as CWE-125, which corresponds to an out-of-bounds read condition. This type of flaw occurs when the software reads data outside the bounds of allocated memory, potentially exposing sensitive information. Specifically, this vulnerability allows an attacker with high privileges (PR:H) and local access (AV:L) to cause the Bluetooth driver to disclose information from memory that should not be accessible. The vulnerability does not require user interaction (UI:N) and does not affect system integrity or availability, but it impacts confidentiality (C:H). The scope is unchanged (S:U), meaning the vulnerability affects only the vulnerable component and does not propagate to other components. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 4.4, reflecting a medium severity level. 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 August 2024, indicating recent discovery and disclosure. The technical root cause is an out-of-bounds read in the Windows Bluetooth driver, which could be leveraged by a local attacker with administrative privileges to read sensitive information from kernel memory, potentially leading to information disclosure that could aid further attacks or privilege escalation.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk primarily to systems running Windows 11 Version 24H2 with Bluetooth enabled. Since exploitation requires local administrative privileges, the immediate risk of remote compromise is low. However, if an attacker gains local access—through physical presence, social engineering, or prior compromise—they could exploit this flaw to extract sensitive kernel memory information. This could lead to leakage of cryptographic keys, credentials, or other sensitive data, undermining confidentiality. Organizations with high-value intellectual property, sensitive personal data (e.g., healthcare, finance), or critical infrastructure could be impacted if attackers chain this vulnerability with other exploits to escalate privileges or move laterally. The lack of impact on integrity and availability limits the scope of damage, but confidentiality breaches can still have regulatory and reputational consequences under GDPR and other European data protection laws. The absence of known exploits in the wild provides a window for proactive mitigation before active attacks emerge.

Given the requirement for local administrative privileges to exploit this vulnerability, European organizations should focus on minimizing the risk of unauthorized local access. Specific mitigation steps include: 1) Enforce strict access controls and limit administrative privileges to trusted personnel only. 2) Implement robust endpoint security solutions that detect and prevent privilege escalation attempts. 3) Disable Bluetooth functionality on Windows 11 systems where it is not required, reducing the attack surface. 4) Monitor system logs and audit trails for unusual local activity or attempts to access Bluetooth driver components. 5) Apply Windows updates promptly once Microsoft releases a security patch addressing CVE-2024-38123. 6) Use application whitelisting and device control policies to prevent unauthorized software or devices from connecting via Bluetooth. 7) Educate users about the risks of local attacks and the importance of physical security. These targeted measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on the specific attack vector and exploitation conditions of this vulnerability.