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2024’s first Patch Tuesday steps lightly

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Credit to Author: Angela Gunn| Date: Tue, 09 Jan 2024 22:03:14 +0000

January isn’t traditionally the lightest month on patch managers’ calendars, so a second month of (relatively) few Microsoft releases is a bit of a treat. On Tuesday the company released 48 CVEs, including 38 for Windows. Eight other product groups or tools are also affected. Of the CVEs addressed, just two are considered Critical in severity by Microsoft; both affect Windows.

At patch time, none of the issues are known to be under exploit in the wild, and none have been publicly disclosed. However, nine of the addressed vulnerabilities in Windows and SharePoint (including one of the Critical-severity CVEs, affecting Kerberos) are by the company’s estimation more likely to be exploited in the next 30 days. Four of those are amenable to detection by Sophos protections, and we include information on those in a table below.

In addition to the 48 patches the release included information on four Chrome CVEs (released last week) that affect Edge, and one MITRE-issued CVE touching the open-source database engine SQLite. (There are no Adobe offerings this month.) We don’t include those issues in the CVE counts and graphics below, but we provide information on everything in an appendix at the end of the article. We are as usual including at the end of this post three other appendices listing all Microsoft’s patches, sorted by severity, by predicted exploitability, and by product family.

By the numbers

  • Total Microsoft CVEs: 48
  • Total Microsoft advisories shipping in update: 0
  • Total Edge / Chrome issues covered in update: 4
  • Publicly disclosed: 0
  • Exploited: 0
  • Severity
    • Critical: 2
    • Important: 46
  • Impact
    • Information Disclosure: 12
    • Remote Code Execution: 11
    • Elevation of Privilege: 10
    • Denial of Service: 6
    • Security Feature Bypass: 6
    • Spoofing: 3

     

    A bar chart showing the distribution of January 2024 patches by impact, then severity; information conveyed in article text

    Figure 1: You’re reading the labels correctly: Information-disclosure issues outnumber both EoP and RCE bugs in January. Security feature bypass issues – one of them Critical-severity — also make a strong showing

    Products

    • Windows: 38
    • .NET: 5 (including on shared with Visual Studio; one shared with Microsoft Identity Model / NuGet and Visual Studio; and one shared with Azure, SQL Server, and Visual Studio)
    • Visual Studio: 4 (including one shared with .NET; one shared with .NET and Microsoft Identity Model / NuGet; and one shared with .NET, Azure, and SQL Server)
    • Azure: 2 (including one shared with .NET, SQL Server, and Visual Studio)
    • Microsoft Identity Model / NuGet: 1 (shared with .NET and Visual Studio)
    • Microsoft Printer Metadata Troubleshooter Tool: 1
    • Office: 1
    • SharePoint: 1
    • SQL Server: 1 (shared with .NET, Azure, and Visual Studio)

    A bar chart showing distribution of January 2024 patches by product family; information conveyed in text

    Figure 2: Windows is heavily represented in this month’s patches, but several less-familiar tools and applications are also in the mix (full names shown in tables below)

    Notable January updates

    In addition to the issues discussed above, a few specific items are worth noting.

    CVE-2024-0057 — .NET, .NET Framework, and Visual Studio Framework Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20674 — Windows Kerberos Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability

    Of this pair of security feature bypass issues, Microsoft deems only the Kerberos issue to be Critical-class. The CVSS scoring system begs to differ, since the guide to that scoring system requires that scorers consider feasible worst-case scenarios when evaluating bugs in software libraries. Their CVSS base scores are thus 9.1 and 9.0 respectively. In any case, admins are encouraged to prioritize these two patches.

    CVE-2024-20696 – Windows Libarchive Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20697 – Windows Libarchive Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

    The information available on these two identically named Important-class RCEs is scant, but there’s a big clue to their importance in the title: These two issues affect Libarchive, the engine for reading and writing in various compression and archive formats.

    CVE-2024-20666 – BitLocker Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability

    Another security feature bypass, this time in a security feature. This issue stands out for some fairly nuanced requirements around servicing the Safe OS; for most versions of Windows 11 this is now a fully automated process, and those relying on WSUS are automatically updated, but those working in more complex environments are strongly encouraged to check Microsoft’s published guidance for specific instructions. In any case, the attacker requires physical access to the targeted machine.

    CVE-2024-21305 — Hypervisor-Protected Code Integrity (HVCI) Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability

    The CVE with the lowest CVSS base score this month has something in common with the two highest-scoring CVEs: It’s yet another security feature bypass. This one, however, rates a mere 4.4 base score and requires the attacker to have physical access to the targeted machine and to have previously compromised admin credentials. It affects an assortment of Windows client and server versions and, for those still running that hardware, 15 versions of the Surface.

    Sophos protections

     

    As you can every month, if you don’t want to wait for your system to pull down Microsoft’s updates itself, you can download them manually from the Windows Update Catalog website. Run the winver.exe tool to determine which build of Windows 10 or 11 you’re running, then download the Cumulative Update package for your specific system’s architecture and build number.

    Appendix A: Vulnerability Impact and Severity

    This is a list of January patches sorted by impact, then sub-sorted by severity. Each list is further arranged by CVE.

    Information Disclosure (12 CVEs)

    Important severity
    CVE-2024-0056Microsoft.Data.SqlClient and System.Data.SqlClient SQL Data Provider Information Disclosure Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20660Windows Message Queuing Client Information Disclosure Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20662Windows Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP) Information Disclosure Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20663Windows Message Queuing Client (MSMQC) Information Disclosure
    CVE-2024-20664Microsoft Message Queuing Client Information Disclosure Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20680Windows Message Queuing Client (MSMQC) Information Disclosure
    CVE-2024-20691Windows Themes Information Disclosure Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20692Microsoft Local Security Authority Subsystem Service Information Disclosure Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20694Windows CoreMessaging Information Disclosure  Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21311Windows Cryptographic Services Information Disclosure Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21313Windows TCP/IP Information Disclosure Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21314Windows Message Queuing Client (MSMQC) Information Disclosure

     

    Remote Code Execution (11 CVEs)

    Critical severity
    CVE-2024-20700Windows Hyper-V Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
    Important severity
    CVE-2024-20654Microsoft ODBC Driver Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20655Microsoft Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20676Azure Storage Mover Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20677Microsoft Office Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20682Windows Cryptographic Services Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20696Windows Libarchive Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20697Windows Libarchive Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21307Remote Desktop Client Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21318Microsoft SharePoint Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21325Microsoft Printer Metadata Troubleshooter Tool Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

     

    Elevation of Privilege (10 CVEs)

    Important severity
    CVE-2024-20653Microsoft Common Log File System Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20656Visual Studio Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20657Windows Group Policy Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20658Microsoft Virtual Hard Disk Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20681Windows Subsystem for Linux Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20683Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20686Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20698Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21309Windows Kernel-Mode Driver Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21310Windows Cloud Files Mini Filter Driver Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

     

    Denial of Service (6 CVEs)

    Important severity
    CVE-2024-20661Microsoft Message Queuing Denial of Service Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20672.NET Core and Visual Studio Denial of Service Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20687Microsoft AllJoyn API Denial of Service Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20699Windows Hyper-V Denial of Service Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21312.NET Framework Denial of Service Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21319Microsoft Identity Denial of Service Vulnerability

     

    Security Feature Bypass (6 CVEs)

    Critical severity
    CVE-2024-20674Windows Kerberos Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
    Important Severity
    CVE-2024-0057.NET, .NET Framework, and Visual Studio Framework Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20652Windows HTML Platforms Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20666BitLocker Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21305Hypervisor-Protected Code Integrity (HVCI) Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21316Windows Server Key Distribution Service Security Feature Bypass

     

    Spoofing (3 CVEs)

    Important severity
    CVE-2024-20690Windows Nearby Sharing Spoofing Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21306Microsoft Bluetooth Driver Spoofing Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21320Windows Themes Spoofing Vulnerability

     

    Appendix B: Exploitability

    This is a list of the January CVEs judged by Microsoft to be more likely to be exploited in the wild within the first 30 days post-release. Each list is further arranged by CVE. No CVEs addressed in the January patch collection are known to be under active exploit in the wild yet.

    Exploitation more likely within 30 days
    CVE-2024-20652Windows HTML Platforms Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20653Microsoft Common Log File System Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20674Windows Kerberos Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20683Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20686Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20698Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21307Remote Desktop Client Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21310Windows Cloud Files Mini Filter Driver Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21318Microsoft SharePoint Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

     

     Appendix C: Products Affected

    This is a list of December’s patches sorted by product family, then sub-sorted by severity. Each list is further arranged by CVE. Patches that are shared among multiple product families are listed multiple times, once for each product family.

    Windows (38 CVEs)

    Critical severity
    CVE-2024-20674Windows Kerberos Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20700Windows Hyper-V Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
    Important severity
    CVE-2024-20652Windows HTML Platforms Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20653Microsoft Common Log File System Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20654Microsoft ODBC Driver Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20655Microsoft Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20657Windows Group Policy Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20658Microsoft Virtual Hard Disk Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20660Windows Message Queuing Client Information Disclosure Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20661Microsoft Message Queuing Denial of Service Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20662Windows Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP) Information Disclosure Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20663Windows Message Queuing Client (MSMQC) Information Disclosure
    CVE-2024-20664Microsoft Message Queuing Client Information Disclosure Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20666BitLocker Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20680Windows Message Queuing Client (MSMQC) Information Disclosure
    CVE-2024-20681Windows Subsystem for Linux Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20682Windows Cryptographic Services Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20683Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20686Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20687Microsoft AllJoyn API Denial of Service Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20690Windows Nearby Sharing Spoofing Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20691Windows Themes Information Disclosure Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20692Microsoft Local Security Authority Subsystem Service Information Disclosure Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20694Windows CoreMessaging Information Disclosure  Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20696Windows Libarchive Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20697Windows Libarchive Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20698Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20699Windows Hyper-V Denial of Service Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21305Hypervisor-Protected Code Integrity (HVCI) Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21306Microsoft Bluetooth Driver Spoofing Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21307Remote Desktop Client Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21309Windows Kernel-Mode Driver Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21310Windows Cloud Files Mini Filter Driver Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21311Windows Cryptographic Services Information Disclosure Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21313Windows TCP/IP Information Disclosure Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21314Windows Message Queuing Client (MSMQC) Information Disclosure
    CVE-2024-21316Windows Server Key Distribution Service Security Feature Bypass
    CVE-2024-21320Windows Themes Spoofing Vulnerability

     

    .NET (5 CVEs)

    Important severity
    CVE-2024-0056Microsoft.Data.SqlClient and System.Data.SqlClient SQL Data Provider Information Disclosure Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-0057.NET, .NET Framework, and Visual Studio Framework Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20672.NET Core and Visual Studio Denial of Service Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21312.NET Framework Denial of Service Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21319Microsoft Identity Denial of Service Vulnerability

     

    Visual Studio (4 CVEs)

    Important severity
    CVE-2024-0056Microsoft.Data.SqlClient and System.Data.SqlClient SQL Data Provider Information Disclosure Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-0057.NET, .NET Framework, and Visual Studio Framework Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20656Visual Studio Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-21319Microsoft Identity Denial of Service Vulnerability

     

    Azure (2 CVEs)

    Important severity
    CVE-2024-0056Microsoft.Data.SqlClient and System.Data.SqlClient SQL Data Provider Information Disclosure Vulnerability
    CVE-2024-20676Azure Storage Mover Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

     

    Microsoft Identity Model (1 CVE)

    Important severity
    CVE-2024-21319Microsoft Identity Denial of Service Vulnerability

     

    Microsoft Printer Metadata Troubleshooter Tool (1 CVE)

    Important severity
    CVE-2024-21325Microsoft Printer Metadata Troubleshooter Tool Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

     

    Office (1 CVE)

    Important severity
    CVE-2024-20677Microsoft Office Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

     

    SharePoint (1 CVE)

    Important severity
    CVE-2024-21318Microsoft SharePoint Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

     

    SQL Server (1 CVE)

    Important severity
    CVE-2024-0056

     

    		Microsoft.Data.SqlClient and System.Data.SqlClient SQL Data Provider Information Disclosure Vulnerability

     

    Appendix D: Advisories and Other Products

    This is a list of advisories and information on other relevant CVEs in the December Microsoft release, sorted by product.

    Relevant to Edge / Chromium (4 CVEs)

    CVE-2024-0222Chromium: CVE-2024-0222 Use after free in ANGLE
    CVE-2024-0223Chromium: CVE-2024-0223 Heap buffer overflow in ANGLE
    CVE-2024-0224Chromium: CVE-2024-0224 Use after free in WebAudio
    CVE-2024-0225Chromium: CVE-2024-0225 Use after free in WebGPU

     

    Relevant to Windows (third-party product) (one CVE)

    CVE-2022-35737MITRE: CVE-2022-35737 SQLite allows an array-bounds overflow

     

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