CVE-2024-43475 Overview
CVE-2024-43475 is an information disclosure vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Admin Center affecting Windows Server 2008 SP2. The flaw stems from a buffer over-read condition [CWE-126] that allows an authenticated attacker to read memory contents beyond an intended boundary. Successful exploitation exposes sensitive information and can affect service availability. Microsoft published the advisory on September 10, 2024, and the vulnerability requires user interaction to trigger the condition. The issue impacts both x64 and x86 editions of Windows Server 2008 SP2 running the Windows Admin Center component.
Critical Impact
An authenticated attacker on the network can read sensitive memory contents from Windows Admin Center and disrupt service availability on affected Windows Server 2008 SP2 systems.
Affected Products
- Microsoft Windows Server 2008 SP2 (x64)
- Microsoft Windows Server 2008 SP2 (x86)
- Microsoft Windows Admin Center component on the above platforms
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-09-10 - CVE-2024-43475 published to NVD
- 2024-09-10 - Microsoft releases security advisory and update
- 2026-08-10 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-43475
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is a buffer over-read in Windows Admin Center, categorized under CWE-126. Windows Admin Center reads more data from a buffer than intended, returning memory contents adjacent to the target buffer. An attacker with low-privileged network access can trigger the condition after the target user performs an action.
Successful exploitation yields high confidentiality impact and high availability impact, while integrity remains intact. The exposed memory may contain configuration data, session artifacts, credentials in transit, or other server-management state. The availability impact suggests the over-read condition can also crash or destabilize the Admin Center service.
EPSS data places the exploitation probability at 1.82% with a 77.08 percentile, indicating meaningful attention relative to the broader CVE population despite no confirmed in-the-wild activity.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper boundary validation during buffer read operations in Windows Admin Center. The affected code path reads past the end of an allocated buffer, referencing memory that was never initialized for the caller. This class of defect commonly arises from missing length checks or reliance on caller-supplied size parameters.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires network access to the Windows Admin Center interface and a valid low-privileged account. The attacker must also induce a legitimate user to interact with a crafted request or interface element. No public proof-of-concept code, exploit modules, or CISA KEV listing exists for this CVE at the time of writing.
The vulnerability mechanism is described in prose only because no verified exploit code is available. See the Microsoft Security Update for CVE-2024-43475 for authoritative technical guidance.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-43475
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected crashes, restarts, or error entries associated with the Windows Admin Center service on Windows Server 2008 SP2 hosts.
- Anomalous authenticated sessions to Admin Center originating from unusual internal source addresses or service accounts.
- Repeated malformed requests to Admin Center endpoints correlated with a specific low-privileged account.
Detection Strategies
- Monitor Windows Admin Center process telemetry for abnormal memory usage, unhandled exceptions, and service restarts.
- Correlate authentication events against Admin Center with subsequent request patterns that deviate from administrative baselines.
- Alert on access to Admin Center from accounts that do not have a documented administrative role.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable verbose logging on the Admin Center gateway and forward events to a centralized SIEM for retention and analysis.
- Baseline normal Admin Center request volumes and flag statistical outliers per source identity.
- Track outbound data volumes from Admin Center hosts to detect potential exfiltration following information disclosure.
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-43475
Immediate Actions Required
- Apply the Microsoft security update referenced in the Microsoft Security Update for CVE-2024-43475 advisory on all Windows Server 2008 SP2 systems running Admin Center.
- Inventory all Windows Server 2008 SP2 hosts, given the platform is out of mainstream support, and prioritize migration to a supported Windows Server release.
- Restrict Admin Center network exposure to trusted management VLANs and jump hosts only.
Patch Information
Microsoft published the fix through the Microsoft Security Response Center. Administrators should install the update associated with the Microsoft Security Update for CVE-2024-43475 advisory. Given Windows Server 2008 reached end of extended support in January 2020, patch availability is limited to Extended Security Update (ESU) channels where applicable.
Workarounds
- Limit Admin Center accessibility using host-based firewalls to authorized administrator workstations only.
- Enforce multi-factor authentication for any account with access to Admin Center to raise the cost of low-privileged account compromise.
- Disable or uninstall Windows Admin Center on Windows Server 2008 SP2 hosts where administrative access can be performed via alternative supported tools.
# Example: Restrict inbound access to Windows Admin Center port to a management subnet
netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="WAC-Restrict" dir=in action=block protocol=TCP localport=6516
netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="WAC-Allow-Mgmt" dir=in action=allow protocol=TCP localport=6516 remoteip=10.10.50.0/24
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
