CVE-2024-29848 in Avalanche
Summary
by MITRE • 05/31/2024
An unrestricted file upload vulnerability in web component of Ivanti Avalanche before 6.4.x allows an authenticated, privileged user to execute arbitrary commands as SYSTEM.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/01/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in Ivanti Avalanche's web component affecting versions prior to 6.4.x, where authenticated privileged users can exploit an unrestricted file upload functionality to achieve arbitrary code execution with SYSTEM privileges. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and file type restrictions within the application's file upload mechanism, allowing maliciously crafted files to be uploaded and subsequently executed on the target system. According to CWE-434, this corresponds to an insecure upload of critical data where the application accepts files without proper validation of their content or type, creating a pathway for attackers to bypass security controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a privilege escalation scenario where a user with authenticated access can leverage the file upload functionality to place malicious payloads such as web shells or executable scripts onto the server. Once uploaded, these files can be executed by the web application with the highest privileges available to the application service account, which in Windows environments typically translates to SYSTEM level access. The underlying flaw exists in the web application's handling of user-supplied file content without proper sanitization or content verification mechanisms that would normally prevent execution of potentially harmful file types.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple unauthorized access as it provides attackers with complete system compromise capabilities, enabling them to exfiltrate sensitive data, establish persistence mechanisms, modify system configurations, and potentially use the compromised system as a launch point for lateral movement within the network infrastructure. The severity is amplified by the fact that only authenticated privileged users are required to exploit this vulnerability, meaning that insider threats or compromised accounts could immediately leverage this flaw without needing additional reconnaissance or exploitation steps.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including upgrading to Ivanti Avalanche version 6.4.x or later where this vulnerability has been addressed through proper input validation and file type restrictions. Additional defensive measures include implementing web application firewalls with content inspection capabilities, restricting file upload functionality to only necessary use cases, implementing strict file type validation using whitelisting approaches rather than blacklisting, and conducting regular security assessments of file handling mechanisms. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to multiple techniques including T1059 for command and script execution and T1078 for valid accounts as it leverages legitimate authenticated access to escalate privileges through file upload exploitation.