CVE-2024-49084 is a high-severity elevation of privilege vulnerability affecting Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809 (build 10.0.17763.0). The underlying issue is a race condition (CWE-362) in the Windows kernel, where concurrent execution using a shared resource is improperly synchronized. This flaw allows an attacker with limited privileges (low privileges) to exploit the timing window in the kernel's handling of shared resources, potentially gaining elevated privileges. The vulnerability does not require user interaction but does require local access to the system (attack vector: local). The attack complexity is high, meaning exploitation requires precise conditions or timing, but the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is critical, as successful exploitation can lead to full system compromise. The vulnerability scope is unchanged, affecting only the vulnerable Windows 10 1809 kernel instance. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet, indicating that mitigation relies on vendor updates once available. The vulnerability was reserved in October 2024 and published in December 2024, reflecting recent discovery and disclosure. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.0, reflecting high severity due to the combination of local attack vector, high attack complexity, and significant impact on system security.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, especially for enterprises and government agencies still running Windows 10 Version 1809, which is an older but still in-use OS version in some environments. Exploitation could allow attackers to escalate privileges from a low-privileged user account to SYSTEM level, enabling full control over affected machines. This could lead to data breaches, deployment of ransomware, lateral movement within networks, and disruption of critical services. The impact is particularly severe for sectors with sensitive data such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure. Since the vulnerability requires local access, it is most dangerous in environments where endpoint security is weak or where attackers can gain initial footholds via phishing or other means. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently provides a window for organizations to proactively mitigate risk before active exploitation occurs.

Organizations should prioritize identifying and inventorying systems running Windows 10 Version 1809. Given the absence of an official patch link, immediate mitigation includes restricting local access to trusted users only, enforcing strict endpoint security policies, and applying least privilege principles to user accounts. Deploying application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions can help detect suspicious behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. Network segmentation to limit lateral movement from compromised endpoints is also recommended. Organizations should monitor vendor communications closely for patches or workarounds and apply them promptly once released. Additionally, consider upgrading affected systems to a supported and fully patched Windows version to eliminate exposure to this vulnerability. Regularly auditing and hardening kernel-level security settings, where possible, can also reduce risk.