CVE-2025-8297 Overview
CVE-2025-8297 is a remote code execution vulnerability in Ivanti Avalanche, an enterprise mobile device management platform. The flaw stems from incomplete restriction of configuration settings within the application. A remote authenticated attacker holding administrative privileges can abuse this weakness to execute arbitrary code on the underlying host. The vulnerability is classified under [CWE-434] (Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type) and affects all versions of Ivanti Avalanche before 6.4.8.8008.
Critical Impact
Authenticated administrators can achieve remote code execution on the Avalanche server, leading to full compromise of the mobility management infrastructure and any managed endpoints it controls.
Affected Products
- Ivanti Avalanche (on-premise) versions prior to 6.4.8.8008
- Ivanti Avalanche deployments using default administrative configuration
- Enterprise mobile device management environments relying on Avalanche console access
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-08-12 - CVE-2025-8297 published to NVD
- 2025-08-15 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-8297
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability resides in Ivanti Avalanche's configuration handling logic. Avalanche fails to fully restrict configuration parameters available to administrative users. An authenticated admin can manipulate these parameters to introduce content that the server later processes as executable code. The CWE-434 mapping indicates that the configuration interface accepts files or payloads of dangerous types without sufficient validation. The Ivanti security advisory addresses this issue alongside CVE-2025-8296 in the same patch cycle.
Root Cause
The root cause is incomplete enforcement of allowlists and type restrictions in Avalanche's configuration subsystem. Administrative privileges grant broader file or parameter handling capabilities than the security model intends. The application processes administrator-supplied data without verifying that it matches expected safe types or formats. This trust assumption between authenticated admin actions and server-side execution context creates the exploitation path.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires network access to the Avalanche management console and valid administrator credentials. An attacker who has compromised an admin account, or a malicious insider with admin rights, can submit a crafted configuration payload through the authenticated interface. Avalanche then processes that payload in a context that results in code execution under the service account. The attack does not require user interaction beyond the attacker's own authenticated session. Successful exploitation grants control over the Avalanche server and any device fleet it manages.
No public proof-of-concept code is available. The vulnerability is described in prose based on the Ivanti Security Advisory CVE-2025-8296/8297.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-8297
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected child processes spawned by the Avalanche service account on the management server
- New or modified files in Avalanche web application directories that do not match the deployed version manifest
- Administrator configuration changes outside normal change windows or from unfamiliar source IP addresses
- Outbound network connections from the Avalanche server to untrusted hosts following admin session activity
Detection Strategies
- Monitor process creation events on Avalanche servers and alert on shells, scripting interpreters, or cmd.exe invoked by Avalanche service processes
- Review Avalanche audit logs for configuration changes correlated with admin login events from non-standard locations
- Compare file integrity baselines against Avalanche installation directories to identify unauthorized payloads
Monitoring Recommendations
- Forward Avalanche application logs, Windows Security logs, and Sysmon process telemetry to a centralized SIEM
- Track all administrative logins to the Avalanche console and require multi-factor authentication for privileged accounts
- Establish baselines for normal Avalanche service behavior and alert on deviations such as unusual outbound traffic or new listening ports
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-8297
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade Ivanti Avalanche to version 6.4.8.8008 or later as published in the vendor advisory
- Audit all administrator accounts and remove unused or stale privileged credentials
- Rotate credentials for any administrator accounts that may have been exposed before patching
- Restrict network access to the Avalanche management console to trusted administrative networks only
Patch Information
Ivanti has released a fixed version of Avalanche addressing both CVE-2025-8296 and CVE-2025-8297. Administrators should apply version 6.4.8.8008 or later. Patch details and download instructions are available in the Ivanti Security Advisory CVE-2025-8296/8297.
Workarounds
- Enforce multi-factor authentication on every Avalanche administrative account to reduce the risk of credential abuse
- Place the Avalanche management interface behind a VPN or jump host so that only authorized administrators can reach it
- Apply the principle of least privilege by limiting the number of users assigned the admin role within Avalanche
# Configuration example: restrict management console access at the host firewall
# Replace 10.0.0.0/24 with your administrative subnet
netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Avalanche-Admin-Allow" \
dir=in action=allow protocol=TCP localport=8443 \
remoteip=10.0.0.0/24
netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Avalanche-Admin-Deny" \
dir=in action=block protocol=TCP localport=8443
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
