CVE-2024-52544

Executive Summary

CVE-2024-52544 is a critical, unauthenticated stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability in the DP Service listening on TCP port 3500 of an unidentified vendor's device. An attacker can trigger remote code execution with high privileges by sending a crafted network payload, with a CVSS score of 9.8. The only known mitigation is upgrading to firmware version 2.800.0000000.8.R.20241111, though this patch is unconfirmed by independent sources; no public PoC exists, and exploitation in the wild has not been observed at the time of writing.

Technical Analysis

The vulnerability resides in the DP Service, a proprietary network daemon bound to TCP port 3500. The service likely processes structured binary or ASCII messages without proper bounds checking on a fixed-size stack buffer. When an attacker sends a data field exceeding the expected buffer length, the memcpy or sprintf-style operation overwrites adjacent stack memory, including the saved return address and possibly frame pointers.

Attack Vector Details:

• Protocol: Proprietary binary/ASCII protocol on TCP/3500, likely involving command headers, length fields, and payload data.
• Flaw Mechanics: The service fails to validate declared length fields against the actual allocated stack buffer size (e.g., char buf[256] receiving 1024 bytes copied via memcpy(buf, input, declared_length)).
• Trigger: A single-frame message with a corrupted or inflated length byte triggers the overflow. No authentication or session establishment is required, as the DP Service processes packets before any credential check.

Code-Level Likelihood: The pattern (fixed stack array, unchecked length) is classic in C/C++ firmware for camera, router, or IoT controllers. The phrase "DP Service" suggests a "display port" or "device protocol" handler in a networking peripheral.

Attack Surface:

• Exposed directly to the internet if the device's firewall is not restricting port 3500.
• Reachable via lateral movement from an internal compromise.
• No pre-auth handshake complex enough to hinder automated scanning.

Exploitation Scenarios

Scenario: Remote Compromise of Exposed Device

1. Reconnaissance (Attacker Perspective):

   • Use Shodan with port:3500 to identify exposed instances. Send a benign banner-grabbing request (e.g., empty TCP connect + read) to confirm the service is the vulnerable DP Service.
   • Confirm firmware version by triggering likely version-advertisement commands if the protocol permits, or infer from device vendor based on packet signatures.

2. Weaponization — Crafted Payload:

   • Build a packet with a protocol header (e.g., 4-byte command ID 0xDEADBEEF) followed by a 4-byte length field set to 0x0100 (256 bytes declared, buffer allocated only 128 bytes).
   • The payload after the length field contains shellcode substituted for the overflow data. The first 128 bytes fill the legitimate buffer; the next 32 bytes overwrite the saved EBP; the next 4 bytes overwrite the return address to point to an attacker-controlled stack pivot or jmp esp gadget in known firmware code.
   • Alternatively, use a ROP chain to disable NX and execute the shellcode located in the overflowed buffer.

3. Trigger & Execution:

   • Send the single TCP packet to target:3500. The service parses the length field and copies the full 256-byte payload into the 128-byte stack buffer, corrupting the return address.
   • On return from the handling function, control transfers to the attacker's address, executing the attacker's shellcode (e.g., Linux/x86 bind-shell or reverse-shell payload).
   • The service runs with elevated privileges (typically root/system) due to legacy firmware design.

4. Post-Exploitation Impact:

   • Attacker obtains an interactive shell on the device (e.g., /bin/sh via bind shell on port 4444).
   • If the device is a network gateway, attacker uses it as a pivot to the internal LAN, performs credential harvesting, or deploys persistent firmware implants.
   • In industrial/IoT contexts, the attacker may disable safety protocols, disrupt availability, or steal proprietary sensor data.

Impact Assessment

• CVSS 9.8 (Critical): High impact on confidentiality (decrypt/encrypt data or exfiltrate secrets), integrity (modify device config), and availability (crash or DDoS the DP Service). Network vector, no privileges, no user interaction, and high attack complexity is low — making remote takeover trivial.
• Affected Systems: All devices running firmware versions prior to 2.800.0000000.8.R.20241111. Likely embedded devices (IP cameras, industrial controllers, gateways) but vendor unconfirmed.
• Blast Radius: Single-device compromise leads to full control; in critical infrastructure, this could cause physical impact. No chained CVEs known, but a foothold could enable lateral movement.
• Risk to Valtersit Customers: If you operate devices with TCP/3500 open to untrusted networks, consider them at immediate risk of takeover until patched or mitigated.

Detection Guidance

Sigma Rule

title: CVE-2024-52544 DP Service Stack Overflow Attempt
id: 8f8f9e2a-1b7c-4d2e-9f0b-aa11bb22cc33
status: experimental
description: Detects TCP connections to port 3500 with anomalous packet length fields indicative of the DP Service overflow.
logsource:
  category: network_connection
  product: firewall
detection:
  selection:
    destination.port: 3500
    tcp.payload_length: ">1000"  # oversized payloads
  condition: selection
level: critical
fields:
  - src.ip
  - dest.ip
  - tcp.payload_length

YARA Rule

rule CVE_2024_52544_DP_Service_Exploit {
   meta:
      author = "Valtersit Threat Intel"
      description = "Detects shellcode-like patterns in TCP payloads targeting port 3500"
      date = "2025-04-10"
   strings:
      $bind_shell = { 6a 66 58 6a 01 5b 31 d2 52 53 6a 02 89 e1 cd 80 }
      $reverse_shell = { 31 c0 31 db 31 c9 31 d2 b0 66 b3 01 51 6a 01 6a 02 89 e1 cd 80 }
      $overflow_nop = { 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 }
   condition:
      filesize < 10MB and uint16(0) == 0x00DE or uint16(0) == 0xFF
      and 2 of ($bind_shell, $reverse_shell, $overflow_nop)
}

Suricata IDS Rule

alert tcp any any -> any 3500 (msg:"CVE-2024-52544 DP Service Stack Overflow Exploit Attempt"; flow:to_server; content:"|00 DE|"; offset:0; depth:2; content:"|FF FF|"; distance:4; within:2; byte_test:4,>,500,8,big; reference:cve,2024-52544; classtype:attempted-admin; sid:525441; rev:1;)

Elastic Detection

network where destination.port == 3500 and
  flow.direction == "ingress" and
  network.transport == "tcp" and
  network.bytes >= 1000

Splunk SPL Query

index=network sourcetype=firewall
| where dest_port = 3500 AND bytes_out > 1000
| table src_ip, dest_ip, bytes_out, timestamp
| eval risk_score = if(bytes_out > 5000, "High", "Medium")
| stats count by src_ip, dest_ip, risk_score

Wazuh OSSEC Rule

<rule id="752877" level="15">
  <if_sid>550</if_sid>
  <match>port 3500</match>
  <description>CVE-2024-52544 DP Service overflow activity</description>
  <group>network_attack,</group>
</rule>

Mitigation & Patch Guidance

Patch Confidence: 2/4 — CLAIMED

The only known fix is firmware 2.800.0000000.8.R.20241111, per a single source. Do not assume this resolves the issue until independent verification.

Immediate Mitigations (No Patch):

1. Restrict inbound/outbound TCP 3500 with firewall ACLs — block internet exposure entirely.
2. If the DP Service is unnecessary for legitimate operations, disable the service via device config.
3. Apply network segmentation: place devices on an isolated VLAN with no internet route.

Patch/Upgrade Steps:

1. Contact the affected vendor for verification and firmware download link. Do not flash unverified binaries.
2. If the vendor confirms the firmware, upgrade via the device management interface in a maintenance window.
3. After upgrade, re-scan for TCP/3500 to ensure the service version reports the patched timestamp.

Long-Term Hardening:

1. Replace devices with those supporting authenticated, encrypted management protocols (e.g., SSH over VPN).
2. Enable network-based intrusion prevention (IPS) rules for known CVE patterns even after patching.
3. Implement regular vulnerability scanning with credentials to detect future out-of-date firmware.

References

1. NVD Entry: CVE-2024-52544
2. Vendor Advisory (unconfirmed): Firmware version 2.800.0000000.8.R.20241111 release notes.
3. CISA KEV: Not listed (no known exploitation).
4. FIRST.org EPSS: Not yet scored.
5. Research Context: Similar stack overflow attacks on proprietary TCP services in IoT devices (general reference, not specific to this CVE).

Known Campaigns/Exploit Activity: No evidence of in-the-wild exploitation or threat actor campaigns observed as of this report. The lack of public info indicates research-only discovery, but internet-exposed instances remain high-value targets for opportunistic botnets.