CVE-2024-38010 Overview
CVE-2024-38010 is a Secure Boot security feature bypass vulnerability affecting a broad range of Microsoft Windows client and server operating systems. The flaw allows an adjacent-network attacker to bypass Secure Boot protections when a user interacts with a crafted payload. Successful exploitation compromises the integrity of the boot process, giving attackers a foothold to load unsigned or malicious code before the operating system fully initializes.
The vulnerability is tracked under [CWE-130] and carries confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts across all supported Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server editions listed in Microsoft's advisory.
Critical Impact
Bypassing Secure Boot undermines the root of trust for the Windows boot chain, enabling persistence techniques such as bootkits that survive OS reinstallation.
Affected Products
- Microsoft Windows 10 (1507, 1607, 1809, 21H2, 22H2)
- Microsoft Windows 11 (21H2, 22H2, 23H2)
- Microsoft Windows Server 2012, 2012 R2, 2016, 2019, 2022, and 2022 23H2
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-07-09 - CVE-2024-38010 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-38010
Vulnerability Analysis
CVE-2024-38010 resides in the Windows Secure Boot implementation, which validates the integrity of firmware and boot-time components using cryptographic signatures. The flaw is categorized under [CWE-130] (Improper Handling of Length Parameter Inconsistency), indicating that boot-time components mishandle length fields when parsing structures involved in signature or measurement validation.
An attacker who can deliver a crafted component to a target on the local network and convince a user to execute a required action can defeat these integrity checks. Once Secure Boot is bypassed, the attacker can load code that runs before the Windows kernel establishes its security boundaries.
Microsoft has not published detailed technical internals. For authoritative product-level details, refer to the Microsoft Security Update Guide entry for CVE-2024-38010.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper handling of a length parameter within a Secure Boot validation routine. When a length field does not agree with the actual size of the data being parsed, subsequent signature or measurement checks operate on inconsistent bounds. This inconsistency allows attacker-controlled content to pass validation that should reject it.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires adjacent-network access and user interaction. The attacker stages a malicious boot-related component reachable from the same logical network as the victim. When the user performs the required action, the vulnerable code path processes the crafted content and bypasses Secure Boot enforcement, enabling execution of unsigned code during the boot chain.
No public proof-of-concept or exploit code is currently available in ExploitDB or vendor references.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-38010
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected changes to EFI System Partition (ESP) contents, particularly new or modified .efi binaries outside of vendor-signed update windows.
- Unsigned or unknown bootloaders enumerated by bcdedit /enum firmware or Measured Boot logs.
- TPM PCR values (notably PCR[0], PCR[4], PCR[7]) diverging from a known-good baseline after routine reboots.
Detection Strategies
- Compare Measured Boot log entries and TPM attestation results against a hardware-attested baseline for each device model.
- Monitor Windows Event Log source Microsoft-Windows-TPM-WMI and Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Boot for anomalies in Secure Boot state transitions.
- Alert when Confirm-SecureBootUEFI returns False on systems that were previously enrolled with Secure Boot enabled.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Ingest boot integrity telemetry (Device Health Attestation, Windows Defender System Guard) into a central analytics pipeline and alert on state regressions.
- Track deployment status of the July 2024 Patch Tuesday cumulative updates across the fleet and flag hosts that remain unpatched.
- Correlate adjacent-network file transfers of .efi, .msu, or bootloader artifacts with subsequent reboot events on the receiving host.
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-38010
Immediate Actions Required
- Apply the Microsoft security updates referenced in the MSRC advisory for CVE-2024-38010 to all affected Windows client and server builds.
- Verify Secure Boot is enabled in firmware and confirm status with Confirm-SecureBootUEFI after patching.
- Re-baseline TPM attestation and Measured Boot values on patched systems.
Patch Information
Microsoft addressed CVE-2024-38010 through its Patch Tuesday cumulative updates released alongside the July 9, 2024 disclosure. Consult the Microsoft Security Update Guide for the KB article and update package matching each Windows build.
Workarounds
- Restrict adjacent-network exposure by segmenting workstations and servers from untrusted VLANs and guest wireless networks.
- Enforce administrative approval for firmware and bootloader changes through UEFI passwords and vendor management consoles.
- Deploy Device Health Attestation policies in Microsoft Intune or equivalent MDM to quarantine devices that fail boot integrity checks.
# Verify Secure Boot state and Measured Boot posture on Windows
Confirm-SecureBootUEFI
Get-Tpm
Get-WinEvent -LogName Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Boot/Operational -MaxEvents 50
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
