Horizon Alert
Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters
Microsoft has identified a vulnerability in a third-party Agere Modem driver that is included with supported Windows operating systems. This driver has been removed in the October cumulative update. The removal of this driver means that fax modem hardware that relies on it will no longer function on Windows. Organizations dependent on this hardware should remove their reliance on it.
- Agere Modem driver in Windows
- Pointer dereference vulnerability
- Loss of fax modem functionality
Attack Path
How an attacker could exploit the issue
This vulnerability impacts systems with a specific third-party modem driver. An attacker with local access to a system could exploit this driver to gain elevated privileges. This could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code and take control of the affected system, leading to data compromise or further network infiltration.
- Local system access required
- Attacker exploits modem driver
- Results in elevated privileges
Live Threat
Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context
This vulnerability impacts the Agere Modem driver, which is a third-party component present in supported Windows operating systems. The driver has been removed in the October cumulative update. Organizations relying on fax modem hardware dependent on this specific driver will experience a loss of functionality. Microsoft advises removing any existing dependencies on this hardware.
- Likely attacker skill level: Low
- Required access or conditions: Local access
- Business risk or urgency: High
Priority actions
Operational Fix
Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps
Microsoft has addressed vulnerabilities in the Agere Modem driver, which is included in supported Windows operating systems. This driver has been removed in the October cumulative update, and fax modem hardware reliant on it will no longer function on Windows. Organizations should discontinue using fax modem hardware that depends on this specific driver.
- Identify systems using the affected driver.
- Remove dependencies on fax modem hardware.
- Apply the vendor fix and monitor systems.
