CVE-2024-29209
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedA medium severity vulnerability has been identified in the update mechanism of the Phish Alert Button for Outlook, which could allow an attacker to remotely execute arbitrary code on the host machine. The vulnerability arises from the application's failure to securely verify the authenticity and integrity of the update server. The application periodically checks for updates by querying a specific URL. However, this process does not enforce strict SSL/TLS verification, nor does it validate the digital signature of the received update files. An attacker with the capability to perform DNS spoofing can exploit this weakness. By manipulating DNS responses, the attacker can redirect the application's update requests to a malicious server under their control. Once the application queries the spoofed update URL, the malicious server can respond with a crafted update package. Since the application fails to properly verify the authenticity of the update file, it will accept and execute the package, leading to arbitrary code execution on the host machine. Impact: Successful exploitation of this vulnerability allows an attacker to execute code with elevated privileges, potentially leading to data theft, installation of further malware, or other malicious activities on the host system. Affected Products: Phish Alert Button (PAB) for Outlook versions 1.10.0-1.10.11 Second Chance Client versions 2.0.0-2.0.9 PIQ Client versions 1.0.0-1.0.15 Remediation: Automated updates will be pushed to address this issue. Users of affected versions should verify the latest version is applied and, if not, apply the latest updates provided by KnowBe4, which addresses this vulnerability by implementing proper SSL/TLS checks of the update server. It is also recommended to ensure DNS settings are secure to prevent DNS spoofing attacks. Workarounds: Use secure corporate networks or VPN services to secure network communications, which can help mitigate the risk of DNS spoofing. Credits: This vulnerability was discovered by Ceri Coburn at Pen Test Partners, who reported it responsibly to the vendor.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceThe update mechanism in Phish Alert Button for Outlook and related products (Second Chance Client, PIQ Client) fails to properly verify update server authenticity - it lacks SSL/TLS certificate validation and digital signature verification. An attacker with DNS spoofing capability can redirect update requests to a malicious server, causing the application to accept and execute arbitrary code.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Changed
- Confidentiality
- Low
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- Low
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
-
Identify installed Phish Alert Button for OutlookCheck for the add-in in Outlook (File > Options > Add-ins) or look for installation in Program Files, typically under 'KnowBe4' or 'Phish Alert' folderAffected if The add-in is present in the Outlook installation
-
Identify Second Chance Client or PIQ Client installationsSearch Program Files and Program Files (x86) for folders named 'Second Chance Client' or 'PIQ Client', or check Windows installed programs listAffected if Either client software is installed on the system
-
Check version information for installed productsRight-click the executable or DLL in the installation folder, select Properties, then look at the Version tab; or use PowerShell: Get-ChildItem -Path 'C:\Program Files*\KnowBe4*' -Recurse -Include *.exe,*.dll | Select-Object Name,VersionInfoAffected if Version cannot be verified against a patched release (no fixed version explicitly documented in this CVE)
-
Verify update mechanism configurationCheck if automatic updates are enabled in the product settings or registry keys under HKLM\SOFTWARE\KnowBe4 or HKCU\SOFTWARE\KnowBe4Affected if Automatic updates are enabled and the update channel does not enforce SSL/TLS certificate validation
If any of these KnowBe4 products (Phish Alert Button, Second Chance Client, PIQ Client) are installed with automatic updates enabled, the environment is vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks during the update process due to missing SSL/TLS certificate validation.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scopedApply the automated updates from KnowBe4 that implement proper SSL/TLS verification, and ensure DNS settings are secured against spoofing to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks on the update channel.
Phish Alert Button: 1.10.12+ | Second Chance Client: 2.0.10+ | PIQ Client: 1.0.16+
- 1. Open Microsoft Outlook with the Phish Alert Button add-in installed
- 2. Verify the current version of Phish Alert Button by accessing the add-in settings or About section
- 3. Ensure your system is connected to a network to allow the automated update to be pushed
- 4. Alternatively, manually check for updates within the Phish Alert Button settings or through KnowBe4's client portal
- 5. Confirm the updated version is 1.10.12 or later for Phish Alert Button, 2.0.10 or later for Second Chance Client, and 1.0.16 or later for PIQ Client
- 6. Restart Outlook and verify the new version number reflects the update
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation6.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,664.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2024-29209 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2024-29209 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data