CVE-2024-13830 Overview
CVE-2024-13830 is a Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting Ivanti Connect Secure and Ivanti Policy Secure products. This vulnerability allows a remote unauthenticated attacker to potentially obtain administrative privileges on vulnerable systems. The attack requires user interaction, where an administrator must be tricked into clicking a malicious link or visiting a crafted page.
Critical Impact
Successful exploitation enables unauthenticated attackers to gain admin privileges on Ivanti Connect Secure and Policy Secure appliances through reflected XSS, potentially compromising VPN and network access controls.
Affected Products
- Ivanti Connect Secure versions prior to 22.7R2.6
- Ivanti Policy Secure versions prior to 22.7R1.3
- All Ivanti Connect Secure 22.7 releases through 22.7R2.5
Discovery Timeline
- February 11, 2025 - CVE-2024-13830 published to NVD
- February 13, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-13830
Vulnerability Analysis
This vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation), commonly known as Cross-Site Scripting (XSS). The reflected XSS flaw exists in the web interface of both Ivanti Connect Secure and Ivanti Policy Secure appliances.
In a reflected XSS attack, user-supplied input is immediately returned by the web application in an error message, search result, or other response without proper sanitization or encoding. When an administrator with an active session visits a specially crafted URL, malicious JavaScript code executes in their browser context with the privileges of that authenticated session.
The network-based attack vector with no authentication requirements makes this vulnerability particularly concerning for internet-facing VPN appliances, though the requirement for user interaction somewhat limits the attack surface.
Root Cause
The root cause of CVE-2024-13830 is improper input validation and output encoding in the web application components of Ivanti Connect Secure and Policy Secure. User-controlled input is reflected back to the browser without adequate sanitization, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary JavaScript code that executes in the context of an authenticated administrator's session.
Attack Vector
The attack is executed over the network and requires an attacker to craft a malicious URL containing JavaScript payload. The attacker must then convince an authenticated administrator to click the link through social engineering techniques such as phishing emails or embedding the link in a trusted communication channel.
When the administrator clicks the malicious link, the injected script executes in their browser session, potentially allowing the attacker to:
- Steal session cookies or authentication tokens
- Perform actions as the administrator
- Modify administrative configurations
- Create new admin accounts for persistent access
The vulnerability mechanism involves improper handling of user input in the web interface. When certain parameters are reflected in the response without proper encoding, an attacker can inject malicious JavaScript that executes when an administrator views the crafted page. See the Ivanti Security Advisory for additional technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-13830
Indicators of Compromise
- Unusual administrative account creation or privilege changes
- Unexpected configuration modifications in Ivanti appliances
- Web server logs showing encoded JavaScript payloads in URL parameters
- Session tokens being sent to external domains
Detection Strategies
- Monitor web application logs for suspicious URL patterns containing encoded script tags or event handlers
- Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to detect and block inline script execution
- Analyze network traffic for unusual outbound connections from administrator workstations following Ivanti portal access
- Review audit logs for administrative actions taken from unexpected source IPs or at unusual times
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable detailed logging on Ivanti Connect Secure and Policy Secure appliances
- Configure SIEM alerts for patterns matching XSS payloads in HTTP request parameters
- Monitor for new administrator account creation or privilege escalation events
- Track session activity for anomalous behavior patterns following external link clicks
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-13830
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade Ivanti Connect Secure to version 22.7R2.6 or later immediately
- Upgrade Ivanti Policy Secure to version 22.7R1.3 or later immediately
- Audit administrative accounts and sessions for any unauthorized changes
- Review recent configuration modifications for signs of compromise
Patch Information
Ivanti has released patched versions addressing this vulnerability. Administrators should upgrade to the following versions:
- Ivanti Connect Secure: Version 22.7R2.6 or later
- Ivanti Policy Secure: Version 22.7R1.3 or later
For complete patch information and download instructions, refer to the Ivanti Security Advisory.
Workarounds
- Educate administrators about phishing risks and the importance of verifying URLs before clicking
- Implement browser-based XSS protection mechanisms and ensure modern browser security features are enabled
- Consider restricting administrative interface access to trusted internal networks or VPN connections only
- Enable multi-factor authentication for administrative access to reduce the impact of session hijacking
# Configuration example: Restrict admin interface access (if supported)
# Consult Ivanti documentation for appliance-specific access restriction options
# Example network-level restriction using firewall rules:
# Allow admin interface access only from trusted management network
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -s 10.0.0.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -j DROP
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
