CVE-2025-13662 is a vulnerability identified in the patch management component of Ivanti Endpoint Manager, a widely used endpoint management solution. The root cause is improper verification of cryptographic signatures (classified under CWE-347), which means the software fails to correctly validate the authenticity and integrity of patches before applying them. This cryptographic verification flaw allows a remote attacker, who does not need prior authentication, to craft malicious patches or payloads that appear legitimate to the system. When a user interacts with these malicious patches—such as approving or initiating a patch installation—the attacker can execute arbitrary code on the affected system. This could lead to full system compromise, including unauthorized access, data theft, or disruption of services. The vulnerability affects all versions prior to Ivanti Endpoint Manager 2024 SU4 SR1, which contains the fix. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 reflects a high-severity issue, with the vector indicating local attack vector (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), user interaction required (UI:R), unchanged scope (S:U), and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). Although no exploits are currently known in the wild, the vulnerability’s characteristics make it a significant risk, especially in environments where endpoint patch management is critical for security posture. The improper signature verification undermines the trust model of patch management, potentially allowing attackers to bypass security controls and deploy malicious code under the guise of legitimate updates.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-13662 can be severe. Endpoint management solutions like Ivanti Endpoint Manager are integral to maintaining security hygiene by automating patch deployment and system updates. Exploitation of this vulnerability could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code remotely, leading to data breaches, ransomware deployment, or disruption of business-critical operations. Confidentiality, integrity, and availability of systems are all at risk, potentially affecting sensitive corporate data and critical infrastructure. The requirement for user interaction somewhat limits the attack vector but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments where users have elevated privileges or where social engineering can be leveraged. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and government, which rely heavily on endpoint management for regulatory compliance and operational continuity, are particularly vulnerable. The absence of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive mitigation, but the high severity score and ease of exploitation warrant urgent attention.

1. Immediately upgrade Ivanti Endpoint Manager to version 2024 SU4 SR1 or later, where the vulnerability is patched. 2. Implement strict patch source validation policies to ensure only trusted and verified patches are applied. 3. Limit user privileges to reduce the likelihood that user interaction leads to successful exploitation; enforce least privilege principles. 4. Educate users about the risks of interacting with unexpected patch prompts or updates, emphasizing caution with patch approvals. 5. Monitor endpoint management logs and network traffic for unusual patch deployment activities or anomalies indicative of exploitation attempts. 6. Employ application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect and block unauthorized code execution. 7. Conduct regular security audits and penetration tests focusing on patch management workflows to identify and remediate weaknesses. 8. Establish incident response plans specifically addressing endpoint compromise scenarios to minimize impact if exploitation occurs.