CVE-2024-11771: Ivanti CSA Path Traversal Vulnerability

CVE-2024-11771 Overview

CVE-2024-11771 is a path traversal vulnerability affecting Ivanti Cloud Services Appliance (CSA) prior to version 5.0.5. This security flaw allows remote unauthenticated attackers to access restricted functionality by exploiting improper input validation in file path handling. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory).

Critical Impact

Remote unauthenticated attackers can bypass path restrictions to access sensitive system functionality, potentially exposing configuration data and restricted resources on affected Ivanti CSA deployments.

Affected Products

• Ivanti Cloud Services Appliance versions prior to 5.0.5

Discovery Timeline

• February 11, 2025 - CVE-2024-11771 published to NVD
• July 14, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-11771

Vulnerability Analysis

This path traversal vulnerability exists in Ivanti Cloud Services Appliance due to insufficient sanitization of user-supplied file path inputs. The vulnerability allows attackers to manipulate file path parameters to escape the intended directory structure and access files or functionality outside the restricted web root.

Path traversal attacks exploit inadequate validation of user input containing directory traversal sequences such as ../ or encoded variants. When these sequences are not properly filtered or normalized, attackers can navigate the file system hierarchy to reach sensitive areas that should be inaccessible.

The network-accessible nature of this vulnerability means it can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication, increasing the potential attack surface for organizations running vulnerable CSA instances exposed to the internet.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2024-11771 is improper input validation in the Ivanti CSA application's file path handling mechanisms. The application fails to adequately sanitize or validate user-supplied path components before using them to access file system resources. This allows attackers to inject path traversal sequences that escape the intended directory boundaries.

Attack Vector

The attack is executed remotely over the network without requiring authentication or user interaction. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests containing path traversal sequences targeting vulnerable endpoints in the Ivanti CSA web interface.

The exploitation mechanism involves submitting requests with manipulated file path parameters containing sequences like ../ or URL-encoded equivalents (%2e%2e%2f) to navigate outside restricted directories. Upon successful exploitation, the attacker gains access to functionality or data that should be restricted to authorized users or system processes.

For technical details regarding the specific attack patterns, refer to the Ivanti Security Advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-11771

Indicators of Compromise

• HTTP requests containing path traversal sequences such as ../, ..%2f, %2e%2e/, or %2e%2e%2f targeting Ivanti CSA endpoints
• Unusual access patterns to files or directories outside normal web application paths
• Web server logs showing repeated attempts to access parent directories or system files
• Anomalous file access events on the CSA appliance outside expected application directories

Detection Strategies

• Deploy web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block path traversal patterns in HTTP requests
• Implement intrusion detection system (IDS) signatures for directory traversal attack patterns targeting Ivanti CSA
• Enable detailed access logging on Ivanti CSA appliances and monitor for suspicious path patterns
• Use SentinelOne's Singularity platform to detect anomalous file system access patterns on protected endpoints

Monitoring Recommendations

• Review web server and application logs for requests containing encoded or plaintext path traversal sequences
• Monitor file integrity of sensitive configuration files and system directories on CSA appliances
• Set up alerts for access attempts to files outside the expected web root directory structure
• Correlate network traffic analysis with endpoint telemetry to identify exploitation attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-11771

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade Ivanti Cloud Services Appliance to version 5.0.5 or later immediately
• Review access logs for signs of prior exploitation attempts using path traversal patterns
• Restrict network access to Ivanti CSA management interfaces to trusted networks only
• Implement web application firewall rules to block known path traversal attack patterns as an interim measure

Patch Information

Ivanti has released version 5.0.5 of the Cloud Services Appliance which addresses this path traversal vulnerability. Organizations should apply this update as soon as possible to remediate CVE-2024-11771. Detailed patch information and upgrade instructions are available in the Ivanti Security Advisory.

Workarounds

• Restrict network access to Ivanti CSA to trusted IP ranges using firewall rules until patching is complete
• Deploy a reverse proxy or WAF in front of the CSA appliance configured to filter path traversal sequences
• Disable or restrict access to non-essential web endpoints on the CSA if operationally feasible
• Monitor and audit all access to the appliance while awaiting patch deployment

# Example: Restrict CSA access to trusted networks using iptables
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -s 10.0.0.0/8 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -j DROP