Windows NTLM Hash Disclosure via Malicious .url File
CVE-2024-43451 is a Microsoft Windows NTLM hash disclosure spoofing vulnerability in the handling of Internet Shortcut (.url) files. The issue can cause Windows to initiate outbound SMB authentication to an attacker-controlled server when a user performs minimal interaction with a malicious file, including actions such as single-clicking, right-clicking, inspecting, dragging, deleting, or otherwise interacting with the file in Explorer without opening or executing it. Multiple reports in the provided content describe the flaw as exposing the victim’s NTLMv2 hash through crafted .url/network shortcut content and characterize it as a logical flaw in how Windows processes SMB paths referenced by such files. The vulnerability was patched by Microsoft in November 2024 and was reported as actively exploited in the wild, including campaigns targeting Ukraine and Colombia.
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Impact, mitigation & remediation
What it means. What to do now. Patch path, mitigations, and the assume-compromise checklist.
Impact
What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.
Mitigation
If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.
Remediation
Patch, then assume compromise.
Exploits
No valid public exploits. Mallory filtered out 1 candidate as fakes, detection scripts, or README-only repos.
All candidate exploits were filtered out by Mallory's validation.
Affected products & vendors
Products and vendors Mallory has correlated with this vulnerability. Open in Mallory to drill down to specific CPE configurations and version ranges.
Vendor-confirmed product mapping. Mallory continuously reconciles this list against your asset inventory.
Recent activity
27 sources tracked across advisories, community write-ups, and news. New activity surfaces here as Mallory finds it.
An NTLM-related vulnerability referenced as an example of an NTLM flaw impacting 2025 (no technical details provided in the content).
A vulnerability in Microsoft Windows NTLM protocol, abused by threat actors for credential theft and post-exploitation activities.
A vulnerability in Windows MSHTML allows .url files to trigger NTLMv2 hash leaks with minimal user interaction, enabling credential theft and lateral movement. Exploited in the wild by APTs and cybercriminals for malware delivery and credential compromise.
A Windows vulnerability (CVE-2024-43451) reported as being abused by the Blind Eagle (APT-C-36 / APT-Q-98 / AguilaCiega) threat actor in an ongoing campaign targeting Colombian organizations.
The version that knows your environment.
Query your assets running an affected version, and investigate the blast radius.
Every observed campaign linking this CVE to a named adversary.
Malware families riding this exploit, with evidence and IOCs.
YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.
Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.
Community discussion across Reddit, Mastodon, and other social sources.