CVE-2023-35078 is an authentication bypass vulnerability identified in Ivanti Endpoint Manager Mobile (EPMM), a widely used mobile device management (MDM) solution. The vulnerability allows an unauthenticated attacker to bypass authentication mechanisms and gain unauthorized access to restricted functionalities and resources within the application. This flaw is categorized under CWE-287 (Improper Authentication), indicating that the system fails to properly verify user credentials before granting access. The CVSS v3.0 base score of 10.0 reflects the critical nature of this vulnerability, with attack vector being network-based (AV:N), requiring no privileges (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and impacting confidentiality, integrity, and availability at a high level (C:H/I:H/A:H). The scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability affects components beyond the initially vulnerable component. Exploitation could lead to full compromise of the MDM environment, allowing attackers to manipulate device configurations, access sensitive data, deploy malicious payloads, or disrupt mobile device operations. Although no known exploits have been reported in the wild, the severity and ease of exploitation make this a high-priority issue. The lack of specified affected versions and absence of published patches at the time of disclosure increases the urgency for organizations to implement interim mitigations and monitor for suspicious activity. Ivanti EPMM is commonly deployed in enterprise environments to manage and secure mobile endpoints, making this vulnerability particularly impactful for organizations relying on it for endpoint security and compliance.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant threat to the security and operational integrity of mobile device management infrastructures. Unauthorized access to Ivanti EPMM could allow attackers to manipulate device policies, access confidential corporate data, and potentially deploy malware or ransomware across managed devices. This could lead to widespread data breaches, regulatory non-compliance (especially under GDPR), and operational disruptions. Critical sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and telecommunications that rely heavily on mobile device management for secure operations are at heightened risk. The ability to bypass authentication without any user interaction or privileges means that attackers can exploit this vulnerability remotely and stealthily, increasing the likelihood of targeted attacks or opportunistic exploitation. The potential for full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability underscores the critical impact on business continuity and data protection obligations within European jurisdictions.

Given the absence of an official patch at the time of disclosure, European organizations should immediately implement compensating controls to mitigate risk. These include restricting network access to the Ivanti EPMM management interface to trusted IP addresses and VPN-only access to reduce exposure. Implement strict firewall rules and segmentation to isolate the management server from general network traffic. Enable and enhance logging and monitoring on the EPMM server to detect anomalous access patterns or unauthorized attempts. Conduct thorough audits of user accounts and permissions within the EPMM environment to minimize potential attack surfaces. Where possible, temporarily disable non-essential functionalities or services within the EPMM platform that could be exploited. Organizations should also engage with Ivanti support to obtain timelines for patches and apply updates promptly once available. Additionally, educating security teams about this vulnerability and preparing incident response plans specific to EPMM compromise scenarios will improve readiness. Finally, consider deploying endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions on managed devices to detect suspicious activities stemming from potential EPMM exploitation.