CVE-2022-36977
Published: 29 March 2023
Summary
CVE-2022-36977 is a critical-severity Deserialization of Untrusted Data (CWE-502) vulnerability in Ivanti Avalanche. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).
Operationally, ranked in the top 5.0% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
Deeper analysis
This vulnerability is a deserialization flaw (CWE-502) in the Certificate Management Server service of Ivanti Avalanche version 6.3.2.3490. The issue stems from insufficient validation of user-supplied data, enabling remote attackers to trigger arbitrary code execution. It carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 9.8 and was originally reported as ZDI-CAN-15449.
Although the vulnerability description indicates that authentication is normally required, the existing mechanism can be bypassed, allowing unauthenticated remote attackers to execute code in the context of the service account. Successful exploitation grants full control over the affected service without needing valid credentials or user interaction.
The referenced ZDI-22-782 advisory and Ivanti Avalanche 6.3.4 release notes indicate that the issue is resolved by upgrading to version 6.3.4 or later. The EPSS score has remained flat at its peak value of 0.1624 with no material increase observed after disclosure.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2022-39634
Vulnerability details
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of Ivanti Avalanche 6.3.2.3490. Although authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability, the existing authentication mechanism can be bypassed. The specific flaw exists within the Certificate Management Server…
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service. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of user-supplied data, which can result in deserialization of untrusted data. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the service account. Was ZDI-CAN-15449.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
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.
Penetration testing supplies malicious serialized objects, detecting unsafe deserialization and supporting corrective actions.
Evaluation of untrusted data handling (deserialization testing) reveals unsafe processing, which the required remediation process addresses.
Untrusted serialized data can be deserialized and observed inside the chamber, blocking gadget-chain exploitation outside the sandbox.
Validates or rejects untrusted serialized data before deserialization occurs.
Identifies and blocks malicious code introduced through deserialization of untrusted data at system boundaries.
Integrity verification of serialized information can detect tampering before deserialization occurs.
Provenance of associated data allows detection of untrusted sources before deserialization or processing occurs.