dbcve.org
QtsOperating system · Qnap

CVE-2024-38638

HIGH · 7.2 CVSS v3.1 Published 2025-03-07
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
78/100
Remediation priority · High
Remotely reachable Zero-click

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 · unedited
An out-of-bounds write vulnerability has been reported to affect several QNAP operating system versions. If exploited, the vulnerability could allow remote attackers who have gained administrator access to modify or corrupt memory. QTS 5.2.x/QuTS hero h5.2.x are not affected. We have already fixed the vulnerability in the following versions: QTS 5.1.9.2954 build 20241120 and later QuTS hero h5.1.9.2954 build 20241120 and later

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 confidence

Out-of-bounds write vulnerability in QNAP QTS and QuTS hero operating systems that allows remote attackers with existing administrator access to modify or corrupt memory. The vulnerability affects multiple versions prior to the November 2024 patch releases.

MitigationUpgrade QTS to version 5.1.9.2954 (build 20241120) or later, or QuTS hero h5.1.9.2954 (build 20241120) or later. Since exploitation requires prior administrator access, this should be treated as a defense-in-depth measure following proper access control enforcement.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
QtsOperating system
Affected:= 5.1.0.2348= 5.1.0.2399= 5.1.0.2418= 5.1.0.2444= 5.1.0.2466= 5.1.1.2491= 5.1.2.2533= 5.1.3.2578= 5.1.4.2596= 5.1.5.2645= 5.1.5.2679= 5.1.6.2722
Quts HeroOperating system
Affected:= h5.1.0.2409= h5.1.0.2424= h5.1.0.2453= h5.1.0.2466= h5.1.1.2488= h5.1.2.2534= h5.1.3.2578= h5.1.4.2596= h5.1.5.2647= h5.1.5.2680= h5.1.6.2734= h5.1.7.2770

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
Low
Privileges
High
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify the QNAP device OS type
    Log into the QNAP admin web interface and check System Settings > About, or run `getsysinfo` via SSH to confirm whether the device runs QTS or QuTS hero
    Affected if The device is running QNAP QTS or QuTS hero
  2. Check the installed QTS version
    In the admin web interface, go to Control Panel > System > About > Firmware Version, or run `getsysinfo | grep 'QTS version'` via SSH
    Affected if The version matches any of: 5.1.0.2348, 5.1.0.2399, 5.1.0.2418, 5.1.0.2444, 5.1.0.2466, 5.1.1.2491, 5.1.2.2533, 5.1.3.2578, 5.1.4.2596, 5.1.5.2645, 5.1.5.2679, or 5.1.6.2722
  3. Check the installed QuTS hero version
    In the admin web interface, go to Control Panel > System > About > Firmware Version, or run `getsysinfo | grep 'QuTS hero version'` via SSH
    Affected if The version matches any of: h5.1.0.2409, h5.1.0.2424, h5.1.0.2453, h5.1.0.2466, h5.1.1.2488, h5.1.2.2534, h5.1.3.2578, h5.1.4.2596, h5.1.5.2647, h5.1.5.2680, h5.1.6.2734, or h5.1.7.2770
  4. Verify administrator account status
    Check for any administrator-level accounts in Control Panel > Privilege > Users, or review the admin list via `grep -E '^admin|^administrator' /etc/passwd` if SSH access is available
    Affected if Administrator accounts exist and are accessible, as exploitation requires existing administrator access to the system

A user is affected if the device runs QTS or QuTS hero and the installed version matches one of the specific versions listed in the affected versions, combined with the presence of accessible administrator accounts.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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 · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Upgrade QTS to version 5.1.9.2954 (build 20241120) or later, or QuTS hero h5.1.9.2954 (build 20241120) or later. Since exploitation requires prior administrator access, this should be treated as a defense-in-depth measure following proper access control enforcement.

Recommended fix High confidence

QTS 5.1.9.2954 (build 20241120) or QuTS hero h5.1.9.2954 (build 20241120)

  1. Verify current QTS or QuTS hero version in System Settings > About
  2. Download QTS 5.1.9.2954 (build 20241120) or later from the QNAP download center
  3. Backup all critical data on the NAS
  4. Navigate to Control Panel > System Settings > Firmware Update
  5. Select 'Check for Update' or manually upload the firmware file
  6. Allow the firmware update to complete and the system to reboot
  7. Verify the system is running version 5.1.9.2954 build 20241120 or later after reboot
Caveat Firmware updates carry inherent risks; ensure critical data is backed up before proceeding; some older applications may not be compatible with newer QTS/QuTS hero versions

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Qts Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation2.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
11.0 hours of engineering $1,920
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2024-38638 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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What belongs here
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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