CVE-2024-13160 is an absolute path traversal vulnerability classified under CWE-36, affecting Ivanti Endpoint Manager products prior to the 2024 January-2025 and 2022 SU6 January-2025 Security Updates. This vulnerability allows a remote attacker with no authentication or user interaction to craft specially crafted requests that manipulate file path parameters to access arbitrary files on the server. By exploiting this flaw, attackers can potentially leak sensitive information stored on the system, including configuration files, credentials, or other critical data. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network without any privileges, making it highly dangerous. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 indicates critical severity, with high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Although no public exploits have been reported yet, the vulnerability’s characteristics suggest it could be weaponized quickly. Ivanti Endpoint Manager is widely used in enterprise environments for endpoint management, making this a significant threat vector for organizations relying on this product. The flaw arises from insufficient validation of user-supplied file paths, enabling traversal outside intended directories. Remediation requires applying the vendor’s security updates that address this path traversal issue. Organizations should also audit access controls and monitor for suspicious file access attempts to detect exploitation attempts.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-13160 is substantial due to the critical nature of the vulnerability and the widespread use of Ivanti Endpoint Manager in enterprise IT environments. Successful exploitation can lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive corporate data, including credentials, configuration files, and potentially personally identifiable information (PII) protected under GDPR. This can result in regulatory penalties, reputational damage, and operational disruptions. The integrity and availability of endpoint management services may also be compromised, affecting patch management, software deployment, and security monitoring capabilities. This could open the door for further attacks such as ransomware or lateral movement within networks. Given the vulnerability requires no authentication and no user interaction, attackers can exploit it remotely, increasing the risk of widespread attacks. European organizations with critical infrastructure, financial services, healthcare, and government sectors are particularly vulnerable due to the sensitive nature of their data and regulatory requirements.

1. Immediately apply the Ivanti Endpoint Manager security updates released in the 2024 January-2025 and 2022 SU6 January-2025 Security Updates that address CVE-2024-13160. 2. Restrict network access to Ivanti Endpoint Manager interfaces by implementing strict firewall rules and VPN requirements to limit exposure to trusted networks only. 3. Employ network segmentation to isolate endpoint management systems from general user networks and internet-facing services. 4. Monitor logs and file access patterns for unusual or unauthorized attempts to access sensitive files or directories, using SIEM tools. 5. Conduct regular audits of endpoint management configurations and permissions to ensure least privilege principles are enforced. 6. Educate IT security teams about the vulnerability and signs of exploitation to enable rapid detection and response. 7. Consider deploying web application firewalls (WAFs) or intrusion prevention systems (IPS) with rules to detect and block path traversal attempts targeting Ivanti Endpoint Manager. 8. Maintain an incident response plan that includes procedures for handling potential data breaches resulting from this vulnerability.