CVE-2024-26180: Windows 10 1507 Secure Boot Bypass Flaw

CVE-2024-26180 Overview

CVE-2024-26180 is a Secure Boot security feature bypass vulnerability affecting Microsoft Windows client and server operating systems. The flaw allows an attacker on an adjacent network to bypass Secure Boot integrity checks, undermining the trusted boot chain that protects the platform from unauthorized firmware and bootloader code. The underlying weakness is classified as a stack-based buffer overflow [CWE-121]. Exploitation requires user interaction and low attack complexity, but no prior authentication. Successful exploitation impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected host.

Critical Impact
An attacker who bypasses Secure Boot can load untrusted code before the operating system initializes, enabling persistent pre-OS implants that survive reinstallation.

Affected Products

Microsoft Windows 10 (versions 1507, 1607, 1809, 21H2, 22H2)
Microsoft Windows 11 (versions 21H2, 22H2, 23H2)
Microsoft Windows Server 2012, 2016, 2019, 2022, and 2022 23H2

Discovery Timeline

2024-04-09 - CVE-2024-26180 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2024-04-09 - Microsoft released a security update via the Microsoft Security Update Guide
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-26180

Vulnerability Analysis

CVE-2024-26180 resides in Windows Secure Boot components responsible for validating pre-boot code integrity. The weakness is a stack-based buffer overflow [CWE-121] that occurs when specific input is processed during the boot validation path. An attacker on an adjacent network segment can deliver a crafted payload that, combined with user interaction, corrupts stack memory and diverts execution flow.

Secure Boot is designed to ensure only firmware and boot components signed by trusted authorities execute during startup. A bypass at this layer negates one of the platform's foundational trust anchors. Attackers who chain this vulnerability with a bootkit or malicious UEFI driver gain persistence beneath the operating system, evading endpoint identification that runs after OS initialization.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper bounds checking within a Secure Boot code path that copies data onto the stack. When input exceeds the expected size, adjacent stack memory including return addresses can be overwritten. This class of defect is tracked as [CWE-121] stack-based buffer overflow.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is adjacent network (AV:A), meaning the attacker must have access to the same broadcast or logical network as the target. User interaction (UI:R) is required, indicating the victim must perform an action such as booting from an attacker-controlled resource or accepting a prompt. No privileges are required to launch the attack.

The vulnerability manifests during Secure Boot processing when a crafted input triggers the stack overflow. See the Microsoft Security Update Guide entry for CVE-2024-26180 for vendor-provided technical context.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-26180

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected modifications to the EFI System Partition (\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\) or the appearance of unsigned .efi binaries.
Secure Boot state reporting as disabled or in a policy state inconsistent with organizational baselines.
Boot Configuration Data (BCD) entries referencing unknown boot loaders or unusual path values.
Measured Boot / TPM PCR values that deviate from known-good baselines for PCRs 0-7.

Detection Strategies

Compare Confirm-SecureBootUEFI results and TPM event logs across the fleet to identify hosts where Secure Boot has been silently disabled or bypassed.
Baseline UEFI variable stores and alert on additions to db, dbx, or KEK outside of scheduled Microsoft dbx revocation updates.
Correlate patch compliance data with boot-time telemetry to identify unpatched systems on adjacent network segments where an attacker could reach vulnerable hosts.

Monitoring Recommendations

Ingest Windows Event Log source Microsoft-Windows-TPM-WMI and boot-related events into a centralized SIEM for longitudinal analysis.
Monitor for creation or modification of files under the EFI System Partition using file integrity monitoring.
Track deployment status of the April 2024 Microsoft security updates across all Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server assets.

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-26180

Immediate Actions Required

Apply the Microsoft security update referenced in the MSRC advisory for CVE-2024-26180 to all affected Windows and Windows Server systems.
Verify Secure Boot is enabled in firmware settings on every managed endpoint and server.
Prioritize patching for systems reachable from untrusted adjacent networks such as guest Wi-Fi, lab segments, or shared VLANs.

Patch Information

Microsoft published fixes on 2024-04-09 through the Microsoft Security Update Guide. The update addresses the stack-based buffer overflow in the Secure Boot component across Windows 10 (1507 through 22H2), Windows 11 (21H2 through 23H2), and Windows Server (2012 through 2022 23H2). Refer to the Microsoft Security Update Guide entry for KB article mappings per Windows version.

Workarounds

Segment networks to limit adjacent-network exposure of unpatched hosts until updates are deployed.
Enforce firmware administrator passwords to prevent unauthorized changes to Secure Boot policy.
Require BitLocker with TPM+PIN so that boot-chain tampering triggers a recovery prompt rather than silent compromise.
Restrict physical and console access to systems awaiting the patch, since user interaction is required for exploitation.

bash

# Verify Secure Boot status on Windows hosts
Confirm-SecureBootUEFI

# Confirm the April 2024 security update is installed
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