Microsoft has released security updates for 61 vulnerabilities in its May 2024 Patch Tuesday rollout. There are two zero-day vulnerabilities patched, affecting Windows MSHTML (CVE-2024-30040) and Desktop Window Manager (DWM) Core Library (CVE-2024-30051), and one Critical vulnerability patched affecting Microsoft SharePoint Server (CVE-2024-30044).
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May 2024 Risk Analysis
This month’s leading risk type is remote code execution (44%) followed by elevation of privilege (28%) and information disclosure (11%). This follows the trend set last month.
Figure 1. Breakdown of May 2024 Patch Tuesday attack types
Windows products received the most patches this month with 47, followed by Extended Security Update (ESU) with 25 and Developer Tools with 4.
Figure 2. Breakdown of product families affected by May 2024 Patch Tuesday
Zero-Day Affecting Windows MSHTML Platform
CVE-2024-30040 is a security feature bypass vulnerability affecting the Microsoft Windows MSHTML platform with a severity rating of Important and a CVSS score of 8.8. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability would allow the attacker to circumvent the mitigation previously added to protect against an Object Linking and Embedding attack, and download a malicious payload to an unsuspecting host.
That malicious payload can lead to malicious embedded content and a victim user potentially clicking on that content, resulting in undesirable consequences. The MSHTML platform is used throughout Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Office products. Due to the exploitation status of this vulnerability, patching should be done immediately to prevent exploitation.
| Severity | CVSS Score | CVE | Description |
| Important | 8.8 | CVE-2024-30040 | Windows MSHTML Platform Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability |
Table 1. Critical vulnerabilities in Windows MSHTML Platform
Zero-day Affecting Desktop Window Manager Core Library
CVE-2024-30051 is an elevation of privilege vulnerability affecting Microsoft Windows Desktop Window Manager (DWM) Core Library with a severity rating of Important and a CVSS score of 7.8. This library is responsible for interacting with applications in order to display content to the user. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability would allow the attacker to gain SYSTEM-level permissions.
CrowdStrike has detected active exploitation attempts of this vulnerability. Due to this exploitation status, patching should be done immediately to prevent exploitation.
| Severity | CVSS Score | CVE | Description |
| Important | 7.8 | CVE-2024-30051 | Windows DWM Core Library Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability |
Table 2. Critical vulnerabilities in Windows Desktop Window Manager Core Library
Critical Vulnerability Affecting Microsoft SharePoint Server
CVE-2024-30044 is a Critical remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability affecting Microsoft Windows Hyper-V with a CVSS score of 8.1. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability would allow an authenticated attacker with Site Owner privileges to inject and execute arbitrary code on the SharePoint Server.
| Severity | CVSS Score | CVE | Description |
| Critical | 8.1 | CVE-2024-21407 | Microsoft SharePoint Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability |
Table 3. Critical vulnerabilities in Microsoft SharePoint Server
Not All Relevant Vulnerabilities Have Patches: Consider Mitigation Strategies
As we have learned with other notable vulnerabilities, such as Log4j, not every highly exploitable vulnerability can be easily patched. As is the case for the ProxyNotShell vulnerabilities, it’s critically important to develop a response plan for how to defend your environments when no patching protocol exists.
Regular review of your patching strategy should still be a part of your program, but you should also look more holistically at your organization’s methods for cybersecurity and improve your overall security posture.
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Learn more about how CrowdStrike Falcon® Exposure Management can help you quickly and easily discover and prioritize vulnerabilities and other types of exposures here.
About CVSS Scores
The Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) is a free and open industry standard that CrowdStrike and many other cybersecurity organizations use to assess and communicate software vulnerabilities’ severity and characteristics. The CVSS Base Score ranges from 0.0 to 10.0, and the National Vulnerability Database (NVD) adds a severity rating for CVSS scores. Learn more about vulnerability scoring in this article.
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