CVE-2024-1709
Auth Bypass in Connectwise Screenconnect ≤ 23.9.8
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:HCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2024-1709 is a critical-severity Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel (CWE-288) vulnerability in Connectwise Screenconnect. Its CVSS base score is 10.0 (Critical).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Data Obfuscation (T1001); ranked in the top 0.0% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to AC-25 (Reference Monitor) and AC-3 (Access Enforcement) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
ConnectWise ScreenConnect versions 23.9.7 and earlier contain an authentication bypass vulnerability that stems from improper handling of an alternate path or channel, tracked as CVE-2024-1709 and assigned CWE-288. The flaw carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 10.0, reflecting network-accessible exploitation with no required credentials or user interaction and full impact across confidentiality, integrity, and availability in a changed scope.
An unauthenticated remote attacker can leverage the bypass to obtain direct access to confidential data or critical systems, including the ability to create administrative accounts or execute arbitrary code on affected ScreenConnect servers. Public proof-of-concept code and a Metasploit module have been released that demonstrate the attack path.
The vendor ConnectWise released version 23.9.8 to address the issue and published a security bulletin urging immediate patching; multiple independent reports confirm that exploitation began shortly after disclosure.
The associated EPSS score has reached a peak of 0.9555 with a current value of 0.9435, indicating sustained and widespread exploitation interest.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2024-17443
Vulnerability Data
ConnectWise ScreenConnect 23.9.7 and prior are affected by an Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel vulnerability, which may allow an attacker direct access to confidential information or critical systems.
- CWE(s)
- KEV Date Added
- 22 February 2024
Related Threats
Threat-Actor AttributionAI
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
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- 7 hardening rules · 3 OS baselines
V6.4.3V6.6.1V12.1.3
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Requires a tamperproof, always-invoked reference monitor that structurally blocks bypass via any alternate path.
Enforces authorization checks on every logical access path, eliminating unauthenticated alternate channels.
Mandates unique identification and authentication for all organizational users, covering the primary authentication requirement.
Controls all external and key internal interfaces, reducing the chance of unauthenticated alternate channels.
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.
Requiring authentication on every channel and path directly eliminates alternate-path bypasses.
Enforcing authorizations and least privilege across all access vectors prevents unauthenticated alternate paths.
Protecting networks and environments from unauthorized logical access blocks bypass via undocumented channels.
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.
A.5.15 only requires defining a topic-specific access control policy and determining requirements; it does not itself enforce, implement or configure any access rules that would stop an alternate unauthenticated path from being exploitable.
Access rights provisioning and review prevent bypass via unmonitored or alternate channels.
Hardening callouts derived
Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (higher-evidence rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).
Oracle Linux 8 (2 rules)
- V-248598 There must be no ".shosts" files on the OL 8 operating system. blocks CWE-288
- V-248827 OL 8 must not have the rsh-server package installed. blocks CWE-288
Oracle Linux 9 (2 rules)
- V-271757 OL 9 file systems must not contain shosts.equiv files. blocks CWE-288
- V-271758 OL 9 file systems must not contain .shosts files. blocks CWE-288
RHEL 7 (3 rules)
- V-204440 Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating systems version 7.2 or newer using Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) must require authentication upon booting into single-user and maintenance modes. blocks CWE-288
- V-204442 The Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system must not have the rsh-server package installed. blocks CWE-288
- V-204424 The Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system must not allow accounts configured with blank or null passwords. blocks CWE-288