Ivanti Connect Secure and Policy Secure Authentication Bypass Vulnerability (CVE-2023-46805) Security Advisory
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTIvanti Connect Secure (ICS) versions 9.x, 22.x and Ivanti Policy Secure gateways
Unauthenticated remote attackers can bypass access control checks on the web component, gaining unauthorized access to restricted resources and sensitive configuration data
Immediately apply the official vendor patches or import the temporary mitigation XML profile provided by Ivanti to block the exploitation path
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
Apply the official security patches via the Ivanti licensing and download portal. Ensure that both active and passive nodes in a cluster environment are updated simultaneously to maintain configuration integrity.
2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
If immediate patching is not feasible, import the official mitigation XML file ('mitigation.release.20240107.1.xml') via the Ivanti admin console. Additionally, restrict external access to the management interface using an upstream reverse proxy or firewall rules:
# Nginx configuration to restrict access to Ivanti admin and API endpoints
server {
listen 443 ssl;
server_name vpn.company.com;
location / {
proxy_pass https://ivanti_backend_pool;
}
# Block external access to sensitive API and admin paths
location ~* ^/(admin|api/v1/configuration) {
allow 192.168.1.0/24; # Trusted Admin Subnet
deny all;
return 403;
}
}3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
Use the following Python script to parse web access logs for potential exploitation attempts targeting the configuration APIs without proper authentication:
import re
log_path = '/var/log/nginx/access.log'
# Pattern matching unauthorized access attempts to configuration endpoints
pattern = re.compile(r'/(api/v1/configuration|api/v1/license/keys-status)')
with open(log_path, 'r') as log_file:
for line in log_file:
if pattern.search(line):
# Check for successful HTTP 200 responses on unauthenticated requests
if ' 200 ' in line and 'anonymous' in line.lower():
print(f'[ALERT] Potential CVE-2023-46805 Exploitation Attempt: {line.strip()}')Stop Exposing VPN Ports to the Internet — Switch to Zero-Trust Access
Eliminate public-facing VPN concentrators and firewall management ports with identity-first Zero-Trust Network Access.
Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics
1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause
This vulnerability (CVE-2023-46805) is an authentication bypass flaw in the web component of Ivanti Connect Secure (formerly Pulse Secure) and Ivanti Policy Secure gateways. The root cause lies in improper validation within the request routing and access control verification mechanisms (CWE-287). This allows remote, unauthenticated attackers to bypass standard authentication filters by crafting specific URI paths.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
An attacker exploits this vulnerability by sending specially crafted HTTP requests to the gateway's web interface. By manipulating the request path, the attacker bypasses the authentication middleware and directly accesses internal REST API endpoints. In real-world attacks, this vulnerability is frequently chained with the command injection vulnerability (CVE-2024-21887) to achieve unauthenticated Remote Code Execution (RCE).
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
Since these gateways serve as the perimeter security boundary for remote access and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), a compromise can lead to full internal network penetration. This vulnerability is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog and has an EPSS score of 0.9998, indicating active, widespread exploitation in the wild.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
An authentication bypass vulnerability in the web component of Ivanti ICS 9.x, 22.x and Ivanti Policy Secure allows a remote attacker to access restricted resources by bypassing control checks.
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2023-46805)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2023-46805 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2023-46805 is rated CVSS 8.2 (HIGH) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 100.0%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2023-46805?
Primary impacted vendors include ivanti across connect secure, policy secure. Scope summary: All versions of Ivanti Connect Secure (ICS) 9.x, 22.x and Ivanti Policy Secure
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2023-46805 before patching?
[Mitigation] Immediately apply the official vendor patches or import the temporary mitigation XML profile provided by Ivanti to block the exploitation path Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.
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