libcurl CVE-2024-7264

1. Understand the Vulnerability

• CVE-2024-7264 is a vulnerability in libcurl, a widely-used client-side URL transfer library.
• It typically involves buffer overflows or improper handling of certain protocols (exact nature depends on the CVE details).
• It may allow information disclosure, DoS, or RCE depending on how libcurl is used.

2. Check Your libcurl Version

On Windows, libcurl is often embedded within other software (e.g., Git for Windows, PHP, curl.exe tools).

Run:

curl --version

or search for libcurl.dll and check its version (right-click → Properties → Details tab).

3. Remediation Steps

Option A: Update libcurl

Update any software using libcurl (e.g., Git, PHP, curl binary, etc.) to a version using a patched libcurl (>= version patched for CVE-2024-7264).

• The patched version is typically listed in the official curl changelog: https://curl.se/docs/security.html

Option B: Update cURL Executables (if used directly)

• Download the latest Windows version from: https://curl.se/windows/

Replace the outdated curl.exe and libcurl.dll with the new ones on your server.

Option C: Update via Package Managers (if available)

If using Chocolatey:

choco upgrade curl

If using Git or PHP: Download the latest version from the official sources that include patched libcurl.

4. Search for Other Software Bundling libcurl

• Common software bundling libcurl:
  • Git for Windows
  • PHP
  • Python modules
  • Node.js tools
  • Docker for Windows
• Update those tools accordingly.

5. Mitigation (Temporary)

If you can’t update immediately:

Restrict outbound traffic if your apps use libcurl to communicate with external systems.

Monitor for unusual traffic patterns or DoS signs.

Disable unnecessary services that might invoke curl/libcurl.

6. Validate Remediation

Confirm the version of libcurl after updating:

curl --version

Check that it’s not the vulnerable version mentioned in the CVE advisory.