CVE-2024-28944 - Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability Explored

In early 2024, Microsoft disclosed CVE-2024-28944, a critical remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability affecting the Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server. This is especially alarming because OLE DB is used in many backend data applications, middleware, and legacy enterprise systems. Attackers exploiting this flaw could run arbitrary code on affected systems—a nightmare for any administrator.

This post explains the vulnerability, shows an example exploit scenario, and includes references and technical resources to help you stay protected.

What Is the OLE DB Driver for SQL Server?

The Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server (MSOLEDBSQL) is a data provider used to connect applications to SQL Server databases. Think of it as the “interpreter” between your application and the SQL database—translating queries, returning results, managing authentication, and more. Many corporate environments use OLE DB in everything from legacy ASP sites to modern .NET apps.

How Does the Attack Work?

The vulnerability lies in how the OLE DB driver handles specially crafted connection requests. When the driver processes a malicious request (for example, a poisoned connection string from an untrusted remote client or application), it may incorrectly process data in memory—leading to corruption and giving the attacker a path to execute code of their choosing.

Exploit Scenario Walkthrough

Let’s look at a theoretical example to illustrate how this could be abused in practice.

Imagine an ERP web application that connects to SQL Server using OLE DB. The app takes user input for a database name or parameters to construct a connection string.

1. Attacker submits a specially crafted connection string to the app, either directly (because input is poorly validated) or via some chained attack (like SQL injection).

The app passes the malicious connection string to the OLE DB driver.

3. The vulnerability is triggered inside the OLE DB driver, resulting in a buffer overflow or similar memory corruption.
4. Attacker’s payload is executed on the server, running commands as the application service account.

Here’s a code snippet showing unsafe usage

// C# Example: Unsafe SQL Connection using OLE DB
string userProvidedDb = Request.QueryString["db"];
string connectionString = 
    $"Provider=MSOLEDBSQL;Data Source=server;Initial Catalog={userProvidedDb};Integrated Security=SSPI;";

using (OleDbConnection connection = new OleDbConnection(connectionString))
{
    connection.Open();
    // ... do work
}

If userProvidedDb contains attacker-supplied payload (e.g. unexpected binary data or string format manipulator), and if you have a vulnerable OLE DB driver, this could be enough to trigger exploitation.

> Note: No public exploit code for CVE-2024-28944 is available at the time of writing, but previous OLE DB vulnerabilities of this class have seen rapid use in the wild.

Microsoft Security Advisory:

https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-28944

NIST NVD Record:

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-28944

Mitre CVE Database:

https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2024-28944

1. Patch Immediately

Microsoft fixed this in OLE DB Driver version 18.7..
Update your driver from Microsoft’s official download page.

2. Validate and Sanitize Inputs

Never feed untrusted user input into your connection strings! Use hardcoded database parameters or strict whitelisting.

3. Principle of Least Privilege

Ensure that the account running your application has minimal required rights. Don’t run services as LocalSystem or high-privilege accounts.

Final Thoughts

CVE-2024-28944 is a powerful reminder that old components can bring new threats. Updating vulnerable drivers, sanitizing inputs, and isolating database connectivity are best practices every sysadmin and developer should follow.

Stay vigilant, keep patching, and review the components you depend on—even the ones “under the hood” like OLE DB. For more details, always check the official Microsoft advisory and your security team’s recommendations.

Timeline

Published on: 04/09/2024 17:15:56 UTC
Last modified on: 04/10/2024 13:24:00 UTC