CVE-2024-29204: Ivanti Avalanche RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2024-29204 Overview

A Heap Overflow vulnerability exists in the WLAvalancheService component of Ivanti Avalanche before version 6.4.3. This memory corruption flaw allows a remote unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the target system. The vulnerability poses a significant risk to enterprise mobile device management (MDM) environments, as Ivanti Avalanche is widely deployed to manage mobile devices across organizations.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated remote attackers can exploit this heap overflow to achieve arbitrary command execution, potentially leading to complete system compromise without requiring any user interaction or authentication credentials.

Affected Products

• Ivanti Avalanche versions prior to 6.4.3
• WLAvalancheService component in vulnerable Avalanche installations
• Enterprise MDM deployments using affected Ivanti Avalanche versions

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-04-19 - CVE-2024-29204 published to NVD
• 2025-05-06 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-29204

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-122: Heap-based Buffer Overflow. The flaw resides in the WLAvalancheService component, which handles wireless LAN device management operations within the Ivanti Avalanche MDM platform. When processing incoming network requests, the service fails to properly validate the size of input data before copying it to a heap-allocated buffer, resulting in a classic heap overflow condition.

The network-accessible nature of this vulnerability combined with no authentication requirements makes it particularly dangerous. An attacker can remotely trigger the overflow by sending specially crafted requests to the vulnerable service, corrupting adjacent heap memory structures. This corruption can be leveraged to overwrite function pointers or other critical data structures, ultimately achieving arbitrary code execution in the context of the WLAvalancheService process.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2024-29204 is improper bounds checking in the WLAvalancheService component when handling memory allocation and data copying operations. The service accepts network input without adequately validating the length of the incoming data against the allocated buffer size. This allows an attacker to supply oversized data that overflows the heap buffer boundary, corrupting adjacent memory regions and potentially gaining control of program execution flow.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for this vulnerability is network-based, requiring no authentication or user interaction. An attacker with network access to the Ivanti Avalanche server can send malicious requests to the WLAvalancheService component. The attack follows a typical heap overflow exploitation pattern:

1. The attacker identifies the vulnerable service endpoint on the target network
2. Specially crafted packets are sent to trigger the heap overflow condition
3. The overflow corrupts heap metadata or adjacent objects
4. Careful manipulation of the overflow allows the attacker to gain arbitrary command execution

The vulnerability can be exploited from an adjacent network or, if the Avalanche server is exposed, from the internet. For detailed technical information, refer to the Ivanti Security Hardening Advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-29204

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual network traffic patterns targeting the WLAvalancheService on the Avalanche server
• Unexpected child processes spawned by WLAvalancheService or the Avalanche service account
• Crash logs or memory access violations in WLAvalancheService event logs
• Anomalous command execution or PowerShell activity originating from the Avalanche server

Detection Strategies

• Deploy network intrusion detection rules to monitor for malformed packets targeting Ivanti Avalanche services
• Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to identify suspicious process behavior on Avalanche servers
• Monitor Windows Event Logs for application crashes or access violations related to WLAvalancheService
• Configure SIEM alerts for unusual outbound connections from Avalanche server infrastructure

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging on the Ivanti Avalanche server to capture detailed service activity
• Implement network segmentation to isolate MDM infrastructure and monitor cross-segment traffic
• Deploy behavioral analytics to detect post-exploitation activities such as lateral movement or data exfiltration
• Regularly audit Avalanche server configurations and review security logs for anomalies

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-29204

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade Ivanti Avalanche to version 6.4.3 or later immediately
• Restrict network access to the Avalanche server to trusted management networks only
• Implement firewall rules to limit access to WLAvalancheService ports from untrusted networks
• Monitor for exploitation attempts while patching is in progress

Patch Information

Ivanti has addressed this vulnerability in Avalanche version 6.4.3. Organizations should update to this version or later to remediate the heap overflow vulnerability. The patch includes proper input validation and bounds checking for the affected WLAvalancheService component. For complete patch details and download instructions, refer to the Ivanti Security Hardening Advisory.

Workarounds

• Restrict network access to the Ivanti Avalanche server using firewall rules to allow only trusted IP addresses
• Place the Avalanche server behind a VPN or jump host to reduce attack surface
• Implement network segmentation to isolate the MDM infrastructure from general corporate networks
• Consider temporarily disabling the WLAvalancheService if not actively required while awaiting patching