CVE-2023-46805 Ivanti Connect Secure and Policy Secure: login or permission bypass
In plain words: A door that should be locked is not: part of the system can be reached without a valid login or permission. The attacker gets in as a user or administrator without knowing a password.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline Jan 22, 2024
What to do
- Install Ivanti's security update for Connect Secure and Policy Secure. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships.
- Patch edge devices first — attackers often start scanning for them within hours of a fix.
- Never expose the device's admin page to the internet.
- After patching a device that was exposed, follow the vendor's compromise checks, end active sessions and change passwords.
Who is affected
Work IT. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.
What's at risk: They face the internet and guard the whole network, so a flaw here can hand attackers a way in — and these devices usually run no antivirus, so break-ins go unnoticed.
The details
- Official name
- Ivanti Connect Secure and Policy Secure Authentication Bypass Vulnerability
- Product
- Ivanti Connect Secure and Policy Secure
- CISA description
- Ivanti Connect Secure (ICS, formerly known as Pulse Connect Secure) and Ivanti Policy Secure gateways contain an authentication bypass vulnerability in the web component that allows an attacker to access restricted resources by bypassing control checks. This vulnerability can be leveraged in conjunction with CVE-2024-21887, a command injection vulnerability.
- Type of flaw
- Login or permission bypass (CWE-287)
- Confirmed exploited
- Jan 10, 2024 — known to be used in ransomware attacks
- US federal patch deadline
- Jan 22, 2024
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Answering about CVE-2023-46805 ·
Questions about CVE-2023-46805
Is CVE-2023-46805 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2023-46805 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Jan 10, 2024, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks, including by ransomware groups.
How do I fix CVE-2023-46805?
Install Ivanti's security update for Connect Secure and Policy Secure. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships. Patch edge devices first — attackers often start scanning for them within hours of a fix.
Am I affected by CVE-2023-46805?
Only if you use Ivanti Connect Secure and Policy Secure. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.