Critical Ivanti VPN Vulnerability – CVE-2025-22457 Explained - 18/05/2025
A new critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.0) in Ivanti Connect Secure is being actively exploited. Here's what you need to know and how to stay safe.
What is CVE-2025-22457?
On May 14th, 2025, Ivanti released an urgent security advisory addressing a critical remote code execution vulnerability in their VPN product Ivanti Connect Secure (formerly Pulse Secure VPN).
This vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-22457, allows an unauthenticated attacker to remotely execute arbitrary code on a vulnerable appliance.
It has received a CVSS score of 9.0, indicating high severity, and is being actively exploited in the wild by threat actors like UNC5221.
🌐 Why This Is a Big Deal
Ivanti VPNs are commonly deployed in enterprises to provide remote access.
If compromised, an attacker may gain:
- Full control of the VPN gateway
- Lateral movement within internal networks
- Access to sensitive internal applications
A single vulnerable device can expose your entire organization.
🔍 Technical Overview
- Vulnerability Type: Buffer overflow in internal handling of crafted requests
- Impact: Remote Code Execution (RCE) without authentication
- Affected Versions: Ivanti Connect Secure prior to 22.7R2.6
This flaw is similar in nature to past Ivanti and Pulse Secure vulnerabilities (e.g. CVE-2023-46805), where exploitation led to webshell deployment, backdoor persistence, and covert data exfiltration.
🛠️ How to Protect Your Organization
✅ Apply the Patch
Ivanti has released 22.7R2.6 to address the issue.
Patch immediately — even if you haven’t seen signs of compromise.
Download from the Ivanti Customer Portal and follow upgrade instructions carefully.
🛡️ Detection & Mitigation
- Inspect logs for unusual authentication attempts or unexpected commands.
- Use NIDS tools like Snort/Suricata with updated rulesets to flag malicious traffic.
- Enable strict access control to admin interfaces.
- Deploy network segmentation to limit exposure of VPN appliances.
Ivanti also provides an Integrity Checker Tool to detect webshells or indicators of compromise.
📖 MITRE ATT&CK Mapping (Observed Techniques)
| Technique | ID | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Exploit Public-Facing Application | T1190 | Used to gain initial access |
| Web Shell | T1505.003 | Persistence post-exploitation |
| Valid Accounts | T1078 | Account hijacking or creation |
| Command and Scripting Interpreter | T1059 | Arbitrary command execution |
🧠 Lessons for Blue & Red Teams
For Blue Teams:
- Treat VPN appliances as high-value assets. Monitor and isolate accordingly.
- Regularly review patch advisories and vulnerability feeds (e.g. CISA KEV Catalog).
- Simulate exploit scenarios in your lab environments.
For Red Teams:
- Test detection coverage by simulating buffer overflow attempts (in safe, controlled labs).
- Assess internal privilege escalation paths post-VPN compromise.
Final Thoughts
CVE-2025-22457 is a critical wake-up call for organizations relying on Ivanti Connect Secure.
The era of “set and forget” VPNs is over — adversaries are watching, and vulnerable edge devices are a prime target.
Patch now, monitor closely, and treat your VPN as part of your zero trust perimeter.
🧩 Want to dig deeper?
Explore the official Ivanti advisory and CISA guidance.
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