CVE-2022-27773 is a critical privilege escalation vulnerability identified in Ivanti Endpoint Manager (formerly LANDesk Management Suite). This vulnerability allows an unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary commands with elevated privileges on affected systems. The flaw is classified under CAPEC-233 (Privilege Escalation) and CWE-276 (Incorrect Default Permissions), indicating that improper permission settings or insecure default configurations enable unauthorized privilege gains. The vulnerability affects versions prior to 2021.1 SU3 and 2022 SU2, with fixes implemented in these or later versions. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 9.8, reflecting a critical severity due to its network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). Exploitation does not require authentication or user interaction, making it highly exploitable remotely. Ivanti Endpoint Manager is widely used for endpoint management, patching, and IT asset management in enterprise environments, meaning exploitation could lead to full system compromise, lateral movement, and persistent access. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability’s characteristics suggest a high risk of future exploitation if unpatched. The vulnerability’s root cause is related to improper permission settings that allow unauthorized users to escalate privileges and execute commands at a higher privilege level than intended, potentially compromising the entire managed environment.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-27773 can be severe. Ivanti Endpoint Manager is commonly deployed in medium to large enterprises for centralized endpoint management, including patch deployment, software distribution, and configuration management. Exploitation could allow attackers to gain administrative control over managed endpoints and servers, leading to data breaches, disruption of IT operations, and potential ransomware deployment. Confidentiality is at high risk as attackers could access sensitive corporate data; integrity is compromised through unauthorized changes to system configurations or software; availability could be disrupted by disabling or manipulating endpoint management functions. Critical infrastructure sectors, financial institutions, healthcare providers, and government agencies in Europe that rely on Ivanti solutions may face operational disruptions and regulatory compliance issues, including GDPR violations due to data exposure. The lack of required authentication and user interaction increases the likelihood of automated exploitation campaigns targeting vulnerable systems across Europe.

1. Immediate patching: Organizations should upgrade Ivanti Endpoint Manager to version 2021.1 SU3, 2022 SU2, or later as provided by Ivanti to remediate the vulnerability. 2. Network segmentation: Restrict network access to Ivanti Endpoint Manager consoles and servers to trusted administrative networks only, minimizing exposure to untrusted networks. 3. Access control hardening: Review and tighten permissions on Ivanti management servers and related components to ensure least privilege principles are enforced. 4. Monitoring and detection: Implement enhanced logging and monitoring for unusual command execution or privilege escalation attempts on systems running Ivanti Endpoint Manager. 5. Incident response readiness: Prepare for potential exploitation by developing and testing response plans specific to endpoint management compromise scenarios. 6. Vendor communication: Stay updated with Ivanti security advisories for any additional patches or mitigation guidance. 7. Temporary workarounds: If immediate patching is not feasible, consider disabling or isolating vulnerable components where possible until a patch can be applied.