This month’s Patch Tuesday fixed a major vulnerability in the Windows Wi-Fi driver, which allowed threat actors to install malware via the wireless Internet connectivity protocol.
The vulnerability is described as an improper input validation error that could result in remote code execution (RCE). It is tracked as CVE-2024-30078 and has a severity score of 8.8. Microsoft labeled it “important”.
The company further explained how the bug can be exploited in low complexity attacks where hackers do not need prior access. All they have to do is be within Wi-Fi range of the vulnerable device so they can send a tailor-made network packet. Nothing is required on the victim’s side either, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous, especially for people who like to work from public spaces like libraries, coffee shops, airports and the like.
Nearly 50 repairs
All major versions of the Windows operating system are vulnerable, including Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server 2008 and newer, but while Microsoft said there is no evidence the bug is being exploited in the wild and that exploitation is “unlikely,” shining such a spotlight usually attracts some attention from the criminals.
Therefore, it is always important to apply the latest Patch Tuesday cumulative update.
In addition to the incorrect input validation error, Microsoft has fixed another 48 bugs in Windows and various Windows components, Office and Office components, Azure Dynamic Business Central and Visual Studio, Tom’s Hardware reports. This includes a critical vulnerability in Microsoft Message Queuing that allowed threat actors to execute malware with elevated privileges as unauthenticated users.
Every second Tuesday of the month, Microsoft releases a series of updates for Windows and other products, with an emphasis on security and stability. This batch is called Patch Tuesday and is perhaps the most important update for Windows. Every now and then, Microsoft also releases urgent fixes for high-severity vulnerabilities known to be exploited in the wild.
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