CVE-2024-43468: Microsoft Configuration Manager RCE Flaw

CVE-2024-43468 Overview

CVE-2024-43468 is a critical remote code execution vulnerability affecting Microsoft Configuration Manager (SCCM/ConfigMgr). This SQL Injection vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems by sending specially crafted requests to the Configuration Manager server. The vulnerability requires no user interaction and can be exploited remotely over the network, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments that rely on Configuration Manager for system management.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated remote attackers can achieve complete system compromise through SQL Injection, potentially gaining full control over the Configuration Manager infrastructure and all managed endpoints.

Affected Products

• Microsoft Configuration Manager version 2303
• Microsoft Configuration Manager version 2309
• Microsoft Configuration Manager version 2403

Discovery Timeline

• October 8, 2024 - CVE-2024-43468 published to NVD
• January 10, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-43468

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability stems from improper input validation in Microsoft Configuration Manager, specifically classified as CWE-89 (SQL Injection). The flaw allows attackers to inject malicious SQL commands through network-accessible interfaces without requiring authentication or any privileges on the target system.

Configuration Manager serves as a centralized management platform used by enterprises to deploy software, updates, and operating systems across thousands of endpoints. A successful exploit of this vulnerability could allow an attacker to execute commands at the database level, potentially leading to data exfiltration, privilege escalation, or complete infrastructure compromise.

The network-based attack vector with low complexity means that any system with network access to an affected Configuration Manager server could potentially exploit this vulnerability. Given that Configuration Manager often has elevated privileges within an enterprise environment, successful exploitation could provide attackers with a powerful foothold for lateral movement.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2024-43468 is inadequate sanitization of user-supplied input before it is incorporated into SQL queries. The Configuration Manager application fails to properly validate and escape special characters in input data, allowing attackers to break out of the intended SQL query structure and inject their own malicious SQL statements. This classic SQL Injection vulnerability (CWE-89) indicates that parameterized queries or prepared statements were not consistently implemented in the affected code paths.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for this vulnerability is network-based, requiring no authentication or user interaction. An attacker can remotely target an exposed Configuration Manager server by:

1. Identifying a Configuration Manager server accessible over the network
2. Crafting malicious HTTP requests containing SQL Injection payloads
3. Sending the crafted requests to vulnerable endpoints on the Configuration Manager server
4. The injected SQL commands execute with the privileges of the Configuration Manager database account
5. Depending on the database configuration, this could lead to code execution on the underlying operating system

The vulnerability allows for complete compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system. Attackers could extract sensitive configuration data, modify system settings, or disable critical management functions.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-43468

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual SQL error messages in Configuration Manager logs indicating syntax errors or injection attempts
• Unexpected database queries containing SQL keywords like UNION, SELECT, xp_cmdshell, or encoded characters
• Anomalous network traffic to Configuration Manager servers from unauthorized sources
• Evidence of data exfiltration or unauthorized database access in SQL Server audit logs

Detection Strategies

• Deploy web application firewalls (WAF) with SQL Injection detection rules in front of Configuration Manager servers
• Enable detailed SQL Server auditing to capture and alert on suspicious query patterns
• Monitor Configuration Manager IIS logs for requests containing SQL Injection signatures
• Implement network segmentation monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts to management infrastructure

Monitoring Recommendations

• Configure SIEM rules to correlate Configuration Manager web server logs with database activity
• Enable Windows Event logging for the Configuration Manager site server and monitor for unusual process execution
• Set up alerting for failed authentication attempts and unusual access patterns to the ConfigMgr database
• Regularly review Configuration Manager audit logs for signs of exploitation or reconnaissance activity

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-43468

Immediate Actions Required

• Apply the Microsoft security update for Configuration Manager immediately from the Microsoft Security Update Guide
• Restrict network access to Configuration Manager servers to only authorized management networks
• Review and harden SQL Server permissions for the Configuration Manager database account
• Audit Configuration Manager environments for any signs of prior exploitation

Patch Information

Microsoft has released security updates to address this vulnerability. Administrators should consult the Microsoft Security Update Guide for CVE-2024-43468 for specific patch information and update instructions for their Configuration Manager version. The updates address versions 2303, 2309, and 2403 of Configuration Manager.

Workarounds

• Implement network-level restrictions using firewalls to limit access to Configuration Manager servers to trusted management subnets only
• Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) with SQL Injection prevention rules as a compensating control until patches can be applied
• Enable SQL Server firewall rules to restrict database connections to only the Configuration Manager application servers
• Consider temporarily taking Configuration Manager offline if immediate patching is not possible and the risk is deemed unacceptable