CVE-2024-21893 is a server-side request forgery (SSRF) vulnerability identified in the SAML component of Ivanti Connect Secure (ICS) versions 9.x and 22.x, Ivanti Policy Secure, and Ivanti Neurons for Zero Trust Access (ZTA). SSRF vulnerabilities allow attackers to make unauthorized requests from the vulnerable server to internal or external systems, bypassing normal access controls. In this case, the vulnerability permits unauthenticated attackers to send crafted requests that the server processes, enabling access to restricted internal resources without proper authentication. The affected Ivanti products are widely used for secure remote access, VPN, and zero-trust network access, making this vulnerability particularly impactful. The CVSS v3.0 score of 8.2 reflects a high severity, with an attack vector of network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), and no user interaction (UI:N). The impact primarily compromises confidentiality (C:H), with limited integrity impact (I:L) and no availability impact (A:N). The vulnerability is classified under CWE-918 (Server-Side Request Forgery). Although no public exploits have been reported yet, the ease of exploitation and potential for unauthorized data access necessitate urgent mitigation. The lack of available patches at the time of reporting requires organizations to implement interim controls to reduce exposure. The vulnerability affects specific versions 9.1R18 and 22.6R2 of Ivanti ICS products, which are commonly deployed in enterprise environments for secure access management.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-21893 is significant due to the widespread use of Ivanti ICS products in securing remote access and zero-trust environments. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive internal systems and data, potentially exposing confidential information such as intellectual property, personal data protected under GDPR, and critical operational data. This could result in regulatory penalties, reputational damage, and operational disruptions. The vulnerability's ability to bypass authentication mechanisms increases the risk of insider threats and external attackers gaining footholds within corporate networks. Critical sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and manufacturing, which rely heavily on secure remote access solutions, are particularly vulnerable. The confidentiality breach could also facilitate further lateral movement and escalation of privileges within affected networks. Given the high severity and ease of exploitation, organizations face a heightened risk of targeted attacks or opportunistic exploitation, especially in the context of increasing cyber espionage and ransomware activities in Europe.

1. Monitor Ivanti’s official channels closely for the release of security patches addressing CVE-2024-21893 and apply them immediately upon availability. 2. Until patches are available, restrict network access to Ivanti ICS management interfaces using firewall rules and network segmentation to limit exposure to trusted IP addresses only. 3. Implement strict input validation and filtering on all requests processed by the SAML component to detect and block malicious SSRF payloads. 4. Conduct thorough network traffic monitoring and anomaly detection to identify unusual outbound requests originating from Ivanti ICS servers. 5. Review and harden access control policies for internal resources accessible via Ivanti products to minimize the impact of potential unauthorized access. 6. Employ multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all administrative and user access points to reduce the risk of credential compromise. 7. Perform regular security assessments and penetration testing focused on SSRF and related vulnerabilities within the Ivanti ICS environment. 8. Educate IT and security teams about SSRF risks and the specific characteristics of this vulnerability to enhance detection and response capabilities.