CVE-2025-22454 is a vulnerability identified in Ivanti Secure Access Client versions prior to 22.7R4, categorized under CWE-732 (Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource). The issue arises from insufficiently restrictive permissions on critical system resources within the client software, which can be exploited by a local attacker who has authenticated access to the system. By leveraging these improper permissions, the attacker can escalate their privileges beyond their authorized level, potentially gaining administrative or SYSTEM-level control. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8, reflecting high severity, with the vector indicating local attack vector (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring privileges (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), and high impact on confidentiality (C:H), integrity (I:H), and availability (A:H). This means an attacker must already have some level of access but can then elevate privileges without further user involvement. The vulnerability does not currently have publicly known exploits in the wild, but the potential impact is significant given the critical nature of the permissions misconfiguration. Ivanti Secure Access Client is widely used in enterprise environments to provide secure remote access, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations relying on this software for VPN and secure connectivity. The lack of patch links suggests that remediation may be pending or that users should upgrade to version 22.7R4 or later once available. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper permission management on security-critical software components to prevent privilege escalation attacks.

The primary impact of CVE-2025-22454 is the potential for local authenticated attackers to escalate their privileges on systems running vulnerable versions of Ivanti Secure Access Client. This can lead to full system compromise, allowing attackers to access sensitive data, modify system configurations, install persistent malware, or disrupt availability of critical services. Given the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, organizations could face data breaches, operational disruptions, and loss of trust. Enterprises using Ivanti Secure Access Client for secure remote access are particularly at risk, as attackers could leverage this vulnerability to bypass security controls and move laterally within networks. The requirement for local authentication limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments where endpoint security is weak or insider threats exist. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not preclude future exploitation. Overall, this vulnerability poses a significant threat to organizations relying on Ivanti Secure Access Client for secure connectivity, especially in sectors with sensitive data such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure.

Organizations should prioritize upgrading Ivanti Secure Access Client to version 22.7R4 or later as soon as patches become available to address the incorrect permission assignments. In the interim, administrators should audit and tighten file system and resource permissions related to the Ivanti client installation directories and executables to ensure they are not overly permissive. Employing endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for unusual privilege escalation attempts can help detect exploitation attempts early. Restrict local user access to only trusted personnel and enforce the principle of least privilege to minimize the risk of an authenticated attacker exploiting this vulnerability. Regularly review and harden local user account policies, disable unnecessary local accounts, and implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) where possible to reduce the likelihood of unauthorized local access. Network segmentation can limit lateral movement if an attacker gains elevated privileges. Finally, maintain up-to-date backups and incident response plans to quickly recover from potential compromises.