Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This flaw affects specified Microsoft Azure File Sync versions. A low-privileged attacker with local access could potentially manipulate data and cause limited service disruption. Exploitation is difficult, and the supplied evidence does not establish active attacks, but affected systems should receive Microsoft’s security update.
Executive priority
Treat this as a standard-priority remediation, accelerated for shared servers or systems allowing untrusted local access. The integrity impact is significant, but local access and high complexity reduce immediate enterprise-wide urgency. Confirm inventory and deploy Microsoft’s update through normal change controls.
Technical view
CVE-2024-21397 is a local elevation-of-privilege vulnerability associated with CWE-59, improper link resolution. The CVSS 3.1 vector indicates high attack complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction, high integrity impact, low availability impact, and no confidentiality impact. Versions 14.0.0 through 17.0.0 are identified.
Likely exposure
Exposure applies to systems running Azure File Sync versions 14.0.0, 15.0.0, 16.0.0, or 17.0.0. Exploitation requires local access and existing low privileges, reducing remote attack risk. Systems accessible to untrusted or compromised local accounts warrant faster attention.
Exploitation context
The supplied CVSS vector marks exploit maturity as proof-of-concept, but provides no supporting exploit details. The CVE is not identified as KEV in the bundle, and no cited source establishes active exploitation. High attack complexity further limits practical abuse, without eliminating risk.
Researcher notes
The public bundle provides minimal vulnerability mechanics beyond CWE-59 and the CVSS vector. It supports a likely link-resolution weakness but not a specific vulnerable component, attack path, or privilege gained. Avoid assuming remote reachability or particular filesystem behavior. Consult Microsoft’s advisory for authoritative update applicability.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory systems running Azure File Sync and record installed versions.
- Review Microsoft’s CVE advisory for the applicable security update.
- Test and deploy Microsoft’s security update to affected systems.
- Limit local access and remove unnecessary low-privileged accounts.
- Monitor affected systems for unexpected file changes or service disruption.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether Azure File Sync versions 14.0.0 through 17.0.0 are installed.
- Compare installed update status with Microsoft’s CVE advisory.
- Verify patched systems no longer report an affected version or update state.
- Review affected hosts for unexplained file changes or Azure File Sync disruption.
- Confirm local account access follows least-privilege requirements.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-59: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupPrivilege behavior lookup
The CVE wording references privilege impact, so privilege escalation and authorization behavior review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2024-21397 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 5.3 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L/E:P/RL:O/RC:C
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L/E:P/RL:O/RC:C14.2microsoftVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
5.3MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L/E:P/RL:O/RC:C
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- Microsoft Azure File Sync Elevation of Privilege VulnerabilityCVE reference, microsoft · vendor-advisory, patch
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.