CVE-2024-38155 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809 (build 10.0.17763.0). It is classified as an out-of-bounds read vulnerability (CWE-125) affecting the Security Center Broker component. This vulnerability allows an attacker with limited privileges (requires local access and low privileges) to read memory outside the intended buffer boundaries without requiring user interaction. The vulnerability does not impact integrity or availability but leads to a high impact on confidentiality by potentially disclosing sensitive information from memory. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.5, reflecting the medium severity, with an attack vector limited to local access (AV:L), low complexity (AC:L), and requiring privileges (PR:L) but no user interaction (UI:N). The scope remains unchanged (S:U), meaning the vulnerability affects only the vulnerable component and does not extend to other system components. 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 out-of-bounds read could allow attackers to access sensitive data in memory, which might include credentials, tokens, or other security-related information managed by the Security Center Broker. This could facilitate further attacks such as privilege escalation or lateral movement if combined with other vulnerabilities or attack vectors.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to systems still running Windows 10 Version 1809, which is an older release. Many enterprises, especially in regulated sectors such as finance, healthcare, and government, may still operate legacy systems due to compatibility or operational constraints. The confidentiality breach could expose sensitive corporate or personal data, potentially violating GDPR requirements on data protection and leading to regulatory penalties. Although the vulnerability requires local access and privileges, insider threats or attackers who gain initial footholds could exploit this to escalate information gathering capabilities. The lack of user interaction requirement increases the risk in automated or unattended environments. Since the vulnerability does not affect integrity or availability, direct disruption of services is unlikely, but information disclosure can be a stepping stone for more damaging attacks. Organizations relying on Windows 10 1809 endpoints should be aware of this risk, especially those with high-value data or critical infrastructure. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, as attackers may develop exploits following public disclosure.

1. Prioritize upgrading or migrating systems from Windows 10 Version 1809 to a supported and fully patched Windows version to eliminate exposure to this vulnerability. 2. Apply any forthcoming security patches from Microsoft promptly once released; monitor official Microsoft security advisories and update management tools accordingly. 3. Restrict local access to systems running Windows 10 1809 by enforcing strict access controls, including limiting administrative privileges and using endpoint protection solutions to detect and prevent unauthorized local access. 4. Implement robust monitoring and logging of local access attempts and anomalous behavior related to Security Center Broker or memory access patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts early. 5. Use application whitelisting and privilege management to reduce the attack surface and prevent untrusted code execution that could leverage this vulnerability. 6. Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments focusing on legacy systems to identify and remediate similar risks proactively. 7. Educate internal users about the risks of local privilege abuse and enforce policies to minimize insider threat vectors.