CVE-2024-10251: Ivanti Security Controls LPE Vulnerability

CVE-2024-10251 Overview

CVE-2024-10251 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability affecting Ivanti Security Controls before version 2024.4.1. Under specific circumstances, insecure permissions within the application allow a local authenticated attacker to escalate privileges on the affected system. This vulnerability stems from improper access control configurations (CWE-276: Incorrect Default Permissions), enabling attackers with low-level access to gain elevated privileges.

Critical Impact

A local authenticated attacker can exploit insecure permissions to achieve privilege escalation, potentially gaining full administrative control over systems running Ivanti Security Controls.

Affected Products

• Ivanti Security Controls versions prior to 2024.4.1

Discovery Timeline

• December 11, 2024 - CVE-2024-10251 published to NVD
• December 13, 2024 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-10251

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as an Insecure Permissions flaw (CWE-276: Incorrect Default Permissions) within Ivanti Security Controls. The vulnerability requires local access and low-level authenticated credentials to exploit, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users have access to the same system. Successful exploitation grants attackers elevated privileges, allowing complete compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability on the affected host.

The local nature of this vulnerability means attackers must already have some form of access to the target system. However, once that access is obtained, the insecure permissions configuration provides a straightforward path to privilege escalation without requiring user interaction.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2024-10251 lies in incorrect default permissions within Ivanti Security Controls. The application fails to properly restrict access to sensitive files, directories, or registry keys, allowing low-privileged users to modify or access resources that should be protected. This misconfiguration enables privilege escalation attacks where attackers can leverage these insecure permissions to execute code or access data with elevated privileges.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for this vulnerability is local, meaning an attacker must have authenticated access to the target system. The exploitation path typically involves:

1. Attacker gains initial low-privileged access to a system running Ivanti Security Controls
2. Attacker identifies insecure file or directory permissions within the Ivanti Security Controls installation
3. Attacker modifies or replaces files/configurations that are processed by higher-privileged processes
4. The privileged process executes the attacker-controlled content, resulting in privilege escalation

Due to the nature of insecure permissions vulnerabilities, no verified exploitation code examples are available for this CVE. The attack relies on identifying and exploiting misconfigured file system or registry permissions specific to the Ivanti Security Controls installation. For detailed technical information, refer to the Ivanti Security Advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-10251

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected privilege escalation events from low-privileged user accounts on systems running Ivanti Security Controls
• Modifications to Ivanti Security Controls installation directories or files by non-administrative users
• Suspicious process creation where child processes run with higher privileges than parent processes
• Anomalous file permission changes within the Ivanti Security Controls installation path

Detection Strategies

• Monitor for file system permission modifications within the Ivanti Security Controls installation directory
• Implement alerting on privilege escalation attempts from standard user accounts
• Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to identify suspicious privilege transitions
• Audit user access patterns to Ivanti Security Controls components and related system resources

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed Windows Security Event logging, particularly Event IDs 4656, 4663 (object access), and 4688 (process creation)
• Configure file integrity monitoring (FIM) for the Ivanti Security Controls installation directory
• Review and baseline normal permission structures on systems running Ivanti Security Controls
• Monitor for unexpected service restarts or modifications to Ivanti-related services

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-10251

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade Ivanti Security Controls to version 2024.4.1 or later immediately
• Audit current file and directory permissions within the Ivanti Security Controls installation
• Review user accounts with local access to affected systems and apply principle of least privilege
• Enable enhanced logging and monitoring on systems running vulnerable versions until patching is complete

Patch Information

Ivanti has released version 2024.4.1 of Security Controls which addresses this vulnerability. Organizations should prioritize upgrading to this version or later. For complete patch details and installation guidance, refer to the Ivanti Security Advisory CVE-2024-10251.

Workarounds

• Restrict local user access to systems running Ivanti Security Controls to only essential personnel
• Apply application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized executables from running in Ivanti directories
• Implement network segmentation to limit lateral movement capabilities if a system is compromised
• Use Windows Security policies to enforce strict access controls on sensitive directories

# Verify Ivanti Security Controls version
# Check the installed version in Programs and Features or via PowerShell:
Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Product | Where-Object { $_.Name -like "*Ivanti Security Controls*" } | Select-Object Name, Version