Brinztech Alert: Exploit Purchasing Announcement for Critical Windows RDL Vulnerability (CVE-2024-38077)

Dark Web News Analysis

A threat actor has posted an exploit purchase announcement on a dark web forum, specifically seeking a working Proof of Concept (PoC) or fully functional exploit for CVE-2024-38077. The actor explicitly targets Windows Server 2016, 2019, and 2022, indicating a focused effort to compromise modern enterprise infrastructure.

Brinztech Analysis:

• The Demand: The solicitation for a “working” exploit suggests that while public research (such as the “MadLicense” PoC) exists, threat actors may be finding available code unstable or insufficient for reliable, stealthy attacks. They are likely seeking a “weaponized” version that guarantees execution without crashing the target service (a common issue with heap overflow exploits).
• The Vulnerability: CVE-2024-38077 is a Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability in the Windows Remote Desktop Licensing (RDL) Service. It has a CVSS score of 9.8 (Critical) because it allows unauthenticated attackers to execute code with SYSTEM privileges—the highest level of access on a Windows machine.
• The “Exploit Gap”: Microsoft patched this in July 2024. The fact that actors are still buying exploits in late 2025 suggests they know many organizations have either failed to patch or have exposed RDL services (often enabled by mistake or for legacy reasons) to the internet.

Key Cybersecurity Insights

This purchasing announcement serves as a “warning flare” for defenders:

• Targeting of “Forgotten” Services: The RDL service is often installed but not actively managed or monitored by security teams. Attackers prize these “shadow” services because they are less likely to be patched than the main RDP port.
• Zero-Click Threat: This vulnerability does not require user interaction. An attacker simply sends a malicious packet to the licensing service. This makes it “wormable”—capable of spreading automatically between servers.
• High-Value Targeting: By specifying Server 2016-2022, the actor is ignoring end-of-life systems (like 2008/2012) to focus on operational, production environments where valuable data and active directories reside.

Mitigation Strategies

In response to this active threat, organizations must verify their exposure immediately:

• Patch Immediately: Prioritize applying the July 2024 Security Updates (or newer cumulative updates) to all Windows Servers.
• Disable Unused Services: Audit your servers. If a server is not actively acting as a Remote Desktop Licensing Server, disable the “Remote Desktop Licensing” service. Many admins install the full “Remote Desktop Services” role when they only needed a simple remote admin connection, inadvertently exposing this attack surface.
• Restrict Network Access: The RDL service typically listens on TCP port 135 (RPC) and dynamic ports. Ensure these ports are firewalled off from the internet. Management interfaces should only be accessible via a secure VPN or management VLAN.
• Monitor RPC Traffic: Configure your intrusion detection systems (IDS) or firewalls to flag unusual RPC traffic or attempts to access the RDL UUID (83d26795-4eeb-11d1-b94e-00c04fa300d0).

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