CVE-2023-35082 is an authentication bypass vulnerability identified in Ivanti Endpoint Manager Mobile (EPMM) version 11.10 and earlier. This vulnerability allows an attacker with network access to the Ivanti EPMM management interface to bypass authentication mechanisms entirely, thereby gaining unauthorized access to restricted functions and sensitive resources within the application. The flaw is unique compared to a related vulnerability CVE-2023-35078, indicating a distinct attack vector or bypass method. The vulnerability has been assigned a CVSS v3.0 base score of 10.0, reflecting its critical nature with network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and complete impact on confidentiality (C:H), integrity (I:H), and availability (A:H). This means an attacker can remotely exploit the vulnerability without authentication or user interaction, potentially leading to full system compromise, data exfiltration, or disruption of managed endpoints. Ivanti EPMM is widely used for mobile device and endpoint management in enterprise environments, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous. Although no public exploits or active exploitation have been reported yet, the critical severity and ease of exploitation necessitate immediate attention. The lack of available patches at the time of disclosure increases the urgency for organizations to implement interim mitigations such as network segmentation and access controls. Monitoring logs for anomalous access attempts and preparing incident response plans are also recommended. The vulnerability was publicly disclosed in August 2023, with the initial reservation date in June 2023, indicating a recent discovery and disclosure timeline.

The impact of CVE-2023-35082 on European organizations can be severe due to the critical nature of the vulnerability and the role Ivanti EPMM plays in managing enterprise endpoints and mobile devices. Successful exploitation can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive corporate resources, enabling attackers to manipulate device configurations, deploy malicious payloads, exfiltrate confidential data, or disrupt business operations. This can result in significant operational downtime, regulatory non-compliance (especially under GDPR), financial losses, and reputational damage. Given the vulnerability allows full compromise without authentication or user interaction, attackers can rapidly propagate attacks across networks where Ivanti EPMM is deployed. European organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure that rely on Ivanti EPMM for device management are particularly at risk. The potential for widespread impact is heightened by the centralized nature of EPMM in managing large fleets of devices, meaning a single compromised management console could affect thousands of endpoints. Additionally, the lack of known public exploits currently provides a window for proactive defense, but also means attackers may develop exploits soon given the high severity.

1. Immediate network-level restrictions: Limit access to the Ivanti EPMM management interface to trusted IP addresses or VPN-only access to reduce exposure to potential attackers. 2. Apply vendor patches promptly: Monitor Ivanti’s security advisories and apply official patches or updates as soon as they become available to remediate the vulnerability. 3. Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA): Even though the vulnerability bypasses authentication, enforcing MFA on all management access points can add an additional layer of defense against other attack vectors. 4. Monitor logs and alerts: Enable detailed logging on EPMM servers and network devices to detect unusual access patterns or unauthorized attempts to access restricted functionality. 5. Conduct vulnerability scanning and penetration testing: Regularly assess the security posture of Ivanti EPMM deployments to identify and remediate any residual weaknesses. 6. Network segmentation: Isolate the EPMM management infrastructure from general user networks to contain potential breaches. 7. Incident response readiness: Prepare and test incident response plans specifically addressing potential exploitation of this vulnerability. 8. Disable or restrict unused features: Minimize the attack surface by disabling unnecessary services or modules within Ivanti EPMM. 9. Backup configurations and data: Maintain secure backups to enable rapid recovery in case of compromise. 10. Engage with Ivanti support: Seek guidance and support from Ivanti for best practices and updates related to this vulnerability.