Cyber Resilience

CVE-2024-21888

High

Published: 31 January 2024

Published
31 January 2024
Modified
03 June 2025
KEV Added
Patch
CVSS Score v3.1 8.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.6126 98.3th percentile
Risk Priority 54 60% EPSS · 20% KEV · 20% CVSS

Summary

CVE-2024-21888 is a high-severity Improper Privilege Management (CWE-269) vulnerability in Ivanti Connect Secure. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).

Operationally, ranked in the top 1.7% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

Deeper analysis

A privilege escalation vulnerability exists in the web component of Ivanti Connect Secure versions 9.x and 22.x as well as Ivanti Policy Secure versions 9.x and 22.x. The flaw, tracked as CVE-2024-21888, permits an authenticated user to elevate privileges to administrator level and carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 8.8 reflecting network attack vector, low complexity, and low required privileges.

An attacker with a low-privileged account on the affected appliance can send specially crafted requests to the web interface and obtain full administrative control over the system, resulting in complete confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.

Ivanti has published mitigation guidance in its security advisory at the referenced forum URLs. The EPSS score for this CVE currently stands at 0.6126 with a recorded peak of 0.6400.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability details

A privilege escalation vulnerability in web component of Ivanti Connect Secure (9.x, 22.x) and Ivanti Policy Secure (9.x, 22.x) allows a user to elevate privileges to that of an administrator.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.

Affected Assets

ivanti
connect secure
21.12, 21.9, 22.1, 22.2, 22.3
ivanti
policy secure
22.1, 22.2, 22.3, 22.4, 22.5

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.

addresses: CWE-269

Policy addresses roles, responsibilities, and privilege management to prevent improper privilege assignments.

addresses: CWE-269

Access supervision ensures privileges are assigned and managed without improper escalation or retention.

addresses: CWE-269

Assigning group/role memberships and access authorizations (privileges) while reviewing accounts addresses improper privilege management.

addresses: CWE-269

Enforces proper privilege management by requiring all decisions through the verified reference monitor.

addresses: CWE-269

By mandating division of duties across roles, the control enforces proper privilege management and prevents a single entity from controlling an entire sensitive process.

addresses: CWE-269

Implements core proper privilege management by restricting to only required rights.

addresses: CWE-269

Policy requires training on privilege management and least privilege, making it harder to exploit improper privilege management weaknesses.

addresses: CWE-269

Training covers proper privilege management practices, making incorrect privilege assignments less likely.

References