Guest-to-host code execution via unchecked MDL handling
Published Aug 13, 2024 · Updated Jul 10, 2025
Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows Network Virtualization before 10.0.14393.7259 allows guest OS users to execute code on the host. The wnv.sys driver fails to check a return value while processing an attacker-controlled memory descriptor list, enabling invalid heap writes or freeing an allocation still in use. Exploitation requires high privileges in a guest virtual machine and crosses the virtualization boundary to compromise host confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Summary
What happened
Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows Network Virtualization before 10.0.14393.7259 allows guest OS users to execute code on the host. The wnv.sys driver fails to check a return value while processing an attacker-controlled memory descriptor list, enabling invalid heap writes or freeing an allocation still in use. Exploitation requires high privileges in a guest virtual machine and crosses the virtualization boundary to compromise host confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-38160
- Published
- Aug 13, 2024
- Updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation)
- Classifications
- CWE-122, T1068
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- admin
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 13, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jul 10, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.7259
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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