On March 12, 2025, Ivanti announced the resolution of a critical vulnerability in its Ivanti Secure Access Client (ISAC), identified as NCSC-2025-0085. This vulnerability, which allowed authenticated local attackers to escalate privileges, posed a significant risk to affected systems. The patch addresses insufficient access restrictions, preventing unauthorized access and control over compromised systems.
TL;DR: Key Points
- Vulnerability: Insufficient access restrictions in Ivanti Secure Access Client.
- Impact: Local privilege escalation leading to unauthorized system control.
- Affected Versions: Ivanti Secure Access Client 22.7 r3 – 22.7r3.
- CVE: CVE-2025-22454.
- Solution: Apply updates provided by Ivanti.
Vulnerability Overview
The vulnerability, classified as medium likelihood and high impact, stems from improper permission assignments within the Ivanti Secure Access Client. Specifically, the flaw allows local, authenticated attackers to escalate their privileges, potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive systems and data. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning for organizations relying on Ivanti for secure remote access, as it could enable attackers to bypass security controls and execute malicious actions.
Technical Details
- CVE Identifier: CVE-2025-22454.
- Vulnerability Type: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource.
- Affected Platforms: Systems running Ivanti Secure Access Client versions 22.7 r3 to 22.7r3.
- Exploitation: Requires local access and authenticated user credentials.
“The vulnerability allows local, authenticated attackers to escalate privileges, potentially leading to unauthorized access and control over affected systems.” [^1]
Relevance to Security Teams
For Red Teams, this vulnerability provides an opportunity to test privilege escalation scenarios in environments where Ivanti Secure Access Client is deployed. Understanding the exploit mechanics can help in simulating real-world attack vectors.
Blue Teams and SOC Analysts should prioritize patching affected systems and monitor for unusual privilege escalation attempts. Implementing strict access controls and auditing local user permissions can mitigate the risk of exploitation.
Remediation Steps
- Update Immediately: Apply the latest patches provided by Ivanti.
- Audit Permissions: Review and restrict local user permissions on systems running Ivanti Secure Access Client.
- Monitor Logs: Look for signs of privilege escalation attempts, such as unusual account activity or unauthorized access to sensitive files.
Proof of Concept (PoC)
While no public exploit code is currently available, the vulnerability can be simulated using the following Python script to test local privilege escalation scenarios:
import os
import subprocess
def check_privilege_escalation():
try:
# Attempt to access a restricted resource
subprocess.run(["whoami"], check=True)
print("Privilege escalation possible.")
except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
print("Privilege escalation not possible.")
if __name__ == "__main__":
check_privilege_escalation()
This script checks if the current user can execute commands with elevated privileges. Replace the whoami command with other sensitive operations to test further.
Conclusion
The resolution of NCSC-2025-0085 highlights the importance of timely patching and robust access control mechanisms. Organizations using Ivanti Secure Access Client should act swiftly to apply updates and mitigate potential risks. For security professionals, this vulnerability serves as a reminder to continuously monitor and harden systems against privilege escalation attacks.
