CVE-2024-22058: Ivanti EPM Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

CVE-2024-22058 Overview

CVE-2024-22058 is a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability affecting Ivanti Endpoint Manager (EPM) 2021.1 and older versions. This local privilege escalation vulnerability allows a low-privileged user on a machine with the EPM Agent installed to execute arbitrary code with elevated permissions. The vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking in memory operations, enabling attackers to overflow heap-allocated buffers and potentially gain full system control.

Critical Impact

Local attackers with low privileges can exploit this heap-based buffer overflow to execute arbitrary code with elevated permissions, potentially compromising the entire endpoint management infrastructure.

Affected Products

• Ivanti Endpoint Manager 2021.1 and older versions
• Ivanti Endpoint Manager with EPM Agent installed
• Systems running vulnerable versions of Ivanti EPM components

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-05-31 - CVE-2024-22058 published to NVD
• 2025-06-20 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-22058

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-122 (Heap-based Buffer Overflow), a memory corruption issue that occurs when data is written beyond the boundaries of a heap-allocated buffer. In the context of Ivanti Endpoint Manager, the vulnerability exists within the EPM Agent component, which processes data without adequate bounds checking.

The local attack vector requires the attacker to have prior access to a system with the EPM Agent installed. Once on the target system, an authenticated user with low privileges can craft malicious input that triggers the buffer overflow condition. The successful exploitation results in complete compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system, as the attacker can execute code with elevated permissions.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2024-22058 lies in insufficient input validation and improper memory management within the Ivanti EPM Agent. When processing certain data structures, the agent fails to properly validate the size of incoming data before copying it into a fixed-size heap buffer. This oversight allows an attacker to supply oversized input that exceeds the allocated buffer space, overwriting adjacent heap memory and potentially corrupting critical program structures such as function pointers or heap metadata.

Attack Vector

The attack requires local access to a system with the Ivanti EPM Agent installed. An attacker with low-privilege access can exploit this vulnerability through the following general approach:

1. The attacker identifies the vulnerable component within the EPM Agent installation
2. Malicious input is crafted to exceed expected buffer boundaries
3. The overflow corrupts heap memory structures, allowing control flow hijacking
4. Arbitrary code executes with the elevated privileges of the EPM Agent service

Due to the local nature of this attack, exploitation typically occurs after initial access has been gained through other means, making this vulnerability particularly valuable for privilege escalation in post-compromise scenarios.

The vulnerability mechanism involves improper bounds checking during memory operations within the EPM Agent. When the agent processes input data, it allocates a heap buffer but fails to verify that incoming data fits within the allocated space. Attackers can leverage this to overflow the buffer and potentially overwrite adjacent memory structures, leading to arbitrary code execution. For detailed technical information, refer to the Ivanti Security Advisory CVE-2024-22058.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-22058

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected crashes or abnormal behavior of the Ivanti EPM Agent service
• Unusual process spawning from EPM Agent-related executables with elevated privileges
• Memory access violations or heap corruption errors in EPM Agent logs
• Suspicious local user activity on systems with EPM Agent installed

Detection Strategies

• Monitor for abnormal EPM Agent process behavior including unexpected child processes or memory allocation patterns
• Implement endpoint detection rules to identify privilege escalation attempts on systems running Ivanti EPM
• Review Windows Event Logs for service failures or access violations related to EPM Agent components
• Deploy behavioral analysis to detect exploitation attempts targeting local privilege escalation

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for Ivanti EPM Agent services and monitor for anomalies
• Configure SIEM alerts for privilege escalation indicators on endpoints with EPM Agent installed
• Implement file integrity monitoring on EPM Agent installation directories
• Monitor user privilege changes following EPM Agent process execution

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-22058

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade Ivanti Endpoint Manager to a version newer than 2021.1 that includes the security fix
• Audit systems to identify all installations of vulnerable EPM Agent versions
• Restrict local access to systems with EPM Agent to only authorized personnel
• Implement the principle of least privilege for all user accounts on affected systems

Patch Information

Ivanti has released security updates to address this vulnerability. Organizations should upgrade from Ivanti EPM 2021.1 and older versions to the latest supported release. Consult the Ivanti Security Advisory CVE-2024-22058 for specific patch details and upgrade instructions. It is critical to apply patches promptly, as local privilege escalation vulnerabilities are frequently leveraged in post-exploitation scenarios.

Workarounds

• Limit local user access to systems running EPM Agent to reduce the attack surface
• Implement application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized code execution
• Monitor and audit user activities on systems with EPM Agent installations
• Consider network segmentation to isolate endpoint management infrastructure

# Identify Ivanti EPM installations for patching
# Windows PowerShell - Check installed EPM version
Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Product | Where-Object { $_.Name -like "*Ivanti*Endpoint*" } | Select-Object Name, Version