Cyber Resilience

CVE-2021-22908

Memory Safety in Ivanti Connect Secure 9.0 … 9.1

High EPSSMemory Safety
Published
27 May 2021
Modified
21 November 2024
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 8.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.69 99.3th percentile
Risk Priority 86 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2021-22908 is a high-severity Classic Buffer Overflow (CWE-120) vulnerability in Ivanti Connect Secure. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).

Operationally, ranked in the top 0.7% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

A buffer overflow vulnerability exists in Windows File Resource Profiles in 9.X allows a remote authenticated user with privileges to browse SMB shares to execute arbitrary code as the root user. As of version 9.1R3, this permission is not enabled…

more

by default.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

Likely ATT&CK TechniquesAI

Techniques this vulnerability likely enables, inferred from its description, weakness type, and attributed-actor tradecraft. Confidence is per-technique.

T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Accessconfidence: HIGH
Remote authenticated user exploits buffer overflow in SMB share browsing feature to execute arbitrary code.
T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation Privilege Escalationconfidence: HIGH
Buffer overflow in Windows File Resource Profiles enables privilege escalation to root.
inferred from description + CWE · MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise v19.0

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2021-22900Same product: Ivanti Connect Secure
CVE-2019-11539Same product: Ivanti Connect Secure
CVE-2020-8218Same product: Ivanti Connect Secure
CVE-2023-41719Same product: Ivanti Connect Secure
CVE-2024-38649Same product: Ivanti Connect Secure
CVE-2020-8260Same product: Ivanti Connect Secure
CVE-2024-47907Same product: Ivanti Connect Secure
CVE-2021-22894Same product: Ivanti Connect Secure
CVE-2025-22467Same product: Ivanti Connect Secure
CVE-2021-22893Same product: Ivanti Connect Secure

Affected Assets

ivanti
connect secure
9.0, 9.1
pulsesecure
pulse connect secure
9.0rx

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)

Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V5.2.1

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

addresses: CWE-120

Platform-independent managed code eliminates the need for unchecked native buffer copies that are the root cause of classic buffer overflows.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure development practices directly enforce bounds checking and input validation that prevent classic buffer overflows.

ID.RA-01 partial match
prevents

Vulnerability identification processes such as code review or scanning detect classic buffer overflows before exploitation.

PR.PS-02 partial match
prevents

Routine patching replaces vulnerable code containing unchecked buffer copies with corrected versions.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

prevents

Secure coding directly requires bounds-checked memory operations, addressing the root cause of CWE-120.

detects

Security testing in development and acceptance can detect buffer overflows through fuzzing and static analysis, though it does not prevent them at the source.

prevents

Secure development life cycle mandates processes that can include input validation and bounds checking to prevent buffer overflows.

prevents

Application security requirements can specify input-size validation and safe buffer handling to mitigate classic buffer overflows.

prevents

Secure system architecture and engineering principles promote defensive coding patterns that reduce the likelihood of unchecked buffer copies.

References