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A fake proof-of-concept (PoC) for Windows vulnerability CVE-2024-49113 was reported as a malware lure, not a working exploit demonstration. According to a January 13, 2025, report citing Trend Micro, the download masqueraded as legitimate LDAP research code and, if run, installed an information stealer. Patching Windows addresses the vulnerability; avoiding and investigating the fake download addresses the malware risk.
What is LDAPNightmare?
LDAPNightmare is the name used in reporting for a malicious repository that posed as proof-of-concept code for CVE-2024-49113, a Windows Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) denial-of-service vulnerability. SecurityWeek reported on January 13, 2025, that Trend Micro identified the fake project. The report describes a download-and-execution infection, not malware exploiting a remote LDAP service.
The reported fake repository appeared to be forked from SafeBreach Labs’ legitimate PoC, but replaced the original Python files with an executable packed using UPX. The mechanics below are those described in the report; they are not an independent reproduction of the malware. SecurityWeek’s incident report and the SANS Internet Storm Center bulletin summarize the incident.
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The reported LDAPNightmare download was a malware lure, not a genuine demonstration of the LDAP vulnerability. Its described behavior was to run locally after a person downloaded and executed it. That is separate from whether Windows is vulnerable to CVE-2024-49113.
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What the report says happened after execution
- The executable dropped a PowerShell script into the system temporary folder.
- The script created a scheduled task to run an encoded script.
- That script fetched another script from Pastebin.
- The later script collected system and network information, including process and directory listings, IP addresses, network adapter details, installed updates, and other system data.
- It compressed the collected information into a ZIP archive and uploaded it to an external FTP server.
SecurityWeek said the fake repository capitalized on attention around public PoC discussion. Trend Micro’s warning, quoted in that report, was: “Although the tactic of using PoC lures as vehicle for malware delivery is not new, this attack still poses significant concerns, especially since it capitalizes on a trending issue that could potentially affect a larger number of victims,” Trend Micro notes.
What does CVE-2024-49113 do?
CVE-2024-49113 is a Windows LDAP denial-of-service vulnerability. SecurityWeek reported a CVSS score of 7.5. Denial of service is the vulnerability’s reported impact; it is not the same as the information-stealing behavior attributed to the fake PoC.
How is CVE-2024-49113 different from CVE-2024-49112?
| Vulnerability | Reported impact | Patch context |
|---|---|---|
| CVE-2024-49113 | LDAP denial of service; CVSS 7.5, as reported by SecurityWeek. | SecurityWeek reported Microsoft addressed it in the December 10, 2024 release. |
| CVE-2024-49112 | Distinct LDAP remote-code-execution vulnerability, described by SecurityWeek as critical. | SecurityWeek reported Microsoft addressed it in the same December 10, 2024 release. |
These are vulnerabilities in Windows LDAP. LDAPNightmare, by contrast, is the reported malicious download posing as PoC code; running it is a local malware risk, not the vulnerability itself.
How do I check whether I ran the fake PoC?
If you downloaded or executed a purported LDAPNightmare PoC, treat the device as potentially compromised. The incident sources do not establish how many victims there were or whether the same repository, infrastructure, or indicators remain active. SANS advised checking Trend Micro’s indicators of compromise (IOCs) for activity associated with the incident.
- Record what happened. Note the download source, filename, approximate download and execution times, and the affected device. Avoid running the file again to test it.
- Contact your security or IT team. For a managed device, follow your organization’s incident-response process. Security staff can preserve relevant endpoint and network logs before cleanup.
- Check for incident indicators. Use Trend Micro’s IOCs through a trusted security team or tool, and review endpoint telemetry for the reported PowerShell, scheduled-task, Pastebin, and FTP activity. The report’s behavior summary is not a substitute for validated indicators or a complete detection rule.
- Contain and recover under guidance. If execution is suspected, isolate the device from networks when your organization’s process permits, and have responders assess it before returning it to service. Change credentials that may have been exposed from a separate, trusted device if responders advise it.
- Verify Windows patch status separately. Confirm installation of the applicable December 2024 Microsoft update through your managed update process, then consult Microsoft’s security guidance for the specific Windows release in use. The incident reporting does not establish a current affected-build inventory, so do not infer that a particular build is safe or vulnerable from it.
What the incident report does—and does not—establish
The reporting documents a specific fake PoC and describes its reported information-stealing chain. It does not establish a victim count, identify a confirmed threat actor, or show that the repository or indicators remain active today. The incident was reported in January 2025; those historical details should not be treated as a live status check.
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