CVE-2025-22457 is a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability identified in Ivanti Connect Secure, Ivanti Policy Secure, and Ivanti ZTA Gateways before versions 22.7R2.6, 22.7R1.4, and 22.8R2.2 respectively. This vulnerability arises from improper bounds checking in the handling of certain network inputs, allowing an attacker to overwrite the stack memory. Exploitation can be performed remotely without authentication or user interaction, enabling an attacker to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected service. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.0, indicating critical severity, with an attack vector of network (AV:N), high attack complexity (AC:H), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). The scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability can affect resources beyond the initially vulnerable component. Although no exploits are currently known in the wild, the critical nature and ease of remote exploitation make this a significant threat. Ivanti products affected are widely used in enterprise environments for secure remote access and zero-trust network access, making them attractive targets for attackers aiming to gain persistent access or disrupt operations.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-22457 can be severe. Successful exploitation can lead to full system compromise of Ivanti Connect Secure and related products, which are often deployed as VPN gateways or zero-trust access points. This can result in unauthorized access to internal networks, data exfiltration, disruption of secure remote access services, and potential lateral movement within corporate networks. Critical sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and telecommunications that rely on Ivanti solutions for secure connectivity are particularly at risk. The compromise of these gateways could undermine the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive data and disrupt business continuity. Additionally, given the remote and unauthenticated nature of the exploit, attackers can operate stealthily and at scale, increasing the risk of widespread impact across multiple organizations in Europe.

1. Immediately upgrade Ivanti Connect Secure to version 22.7R2.6 or later, Ivanti Policy Secure to 22.7R1.4 or later, and Ivanti ZTA Gateways to 22.8R2.2 or later as provided by Ivanti. 2. If immediate patching is not feasible, restrict network access to these devices by implementing strict firewall rules limiting management and access ports to trusted IP addresses only. 3. Monitor network traffic for unusual patterns or attempts to exploit buffer overflow conditions, including anomalous payload sizes or malformed packets targeting Ivanti devices. 4. Employ intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS) with updated signatures to detect potential exploitation attempts. 5. Conduct regular vulnerability scans and penetration tests focusing on remote access infrastructure to identify any residual risks. 6. Review and tighten access controls and logging on Ivanti devices to detect and respond to suspicious activities promptly. 7. Coordinate with Ivanti support and subscribe to their security advisories for timely updates and patches.