CriticalCVE-2026-111357

    Ivanti Connect Secure Missing Authentication for Critical Function Vulnerability (CVE-2026-111357)

    Published Last modified In CISA KEV since Sources: pwn.watch, CVE.org, BSI

    What is affected, what to do

    Ivanti Connect Secure 22.8R2.4 mishandles the manner in which the dsinvoked broker trusts DSCache configuration data, leading to privilege escalation to root, as exploited in the wild in October 2026.

    The vulnerability is being actively exploited; treat it as a priority. Update connect_secure to version 25.1.1.3. Immediate actions, mitigation and detection rules are in the runbook below.

    Affected
    • Ivanti Connect Secure eq 22.8R2.4..22.8R2.4

    Not sure whether and how you are affected? Ask a question about this vulnerability

    Metrics

    7.0

    Priority

    XIEM Effective CVSS: highest available CVSS rating from NVD and vendor data.

    Source: Vendor (CNA), CVSS v3

    7.0

    CVSS v3

    Severity High on the scale from 0 to 10.

    Source: pwn.watch, CVE.org, BSI

    0.5 %

    EPSS score

    Low — model estimates < 1% exploitation likelihood.

    Source: FIRST EPSS, percentile 45.0

    Show all metrics
    Severity
    Critical
    Priority (0–325)

    The priority score is a consolidated metric that condenses several individual signals into a single, action-guiding ranking: technical severity (CVSS), exploitation likelihood (EPSS), known-exploited status (KEV) and the context of the affected asset. The aim is to answer the only truly important question in vulnerability management: what first?

    Read in glossary
    181.22 Methodology
    Exploit maturity

    An exploit is code or a technique that specifically uses a concrete vulnerability to force unintended behaviour — such as executing code or escalating privileges. It is the tool that turns a theoretical flaw into a practical attack.

    Read in glossary
    actively exploitedSource: VulnCheck KEV (opens in a new tab) How we classify
    XIEM Effective CVSS

    XIEM® is the tiered managed-security operating model from NEOSEC and a registered trademark of NEOSEC GmbH. It extends classic SIEM — the central collection, normalisation and correlation of security-relevant events — with endpoint forensics, network visibility and deception technology, and consolidates them into three building tiers: Sentry, Orchestrate and Command.

    Read in glossary
    7.0 Methodology
    CVSS v3

    CVSS is the globally established, open standard for assessing the technical severity of a vulnerability on a scale from 0 to 10. It describes how easily a flaw can be exploited and what damage it can cause — but not how likely its actual exploitation is. CVSS and the complementary EPSS deliberately answer different questions.

    Read in glossary
    7.0
    EPSS score

    The EPSS score is the absolute model output for an individual vulnerability: the estimated probability of real-world exploitation within the next 30 days, expressed as a value between 0 and 1 (i.e. 0 % to 100 %). A score of 0.42 means „the model estimates a 42 % chance of real-world exploitation within 30 days“.

    Read in glossary
    0.5 %
    Low — model estimates < 1% exploitation likelihood.
    EPSS percentile

    The EPSS percentile is the relative position of a vulnerability within all EPSS-scored CVEs, expressed as a value between 0 and 1. A percentile of 0.90 means „this CVE has a higher EPSS score than 90 % of all other scored CVEs“. Unlike the EPSS score, it is not a probability — but a positioning within a ranking.

    Read in glossary
    45.0
    High — this CVE ranks above the median of all CVEs scored today (rank ≥ 36%).
    KEV status

    The KEV catalogue is a list maintained by the US authority CISA of vulnerabilities for which active exploitation in the wild has been confirmed. It answers not the question „how severe?“ but „is it already being attacked?“ — thereby sharply prioritising patching.

    Read in glossary
    Actively exploited
    Published
    In CISA KEV since

    The KEV catalogue is a list maintained by the US authority CISA of vulnerabilities for which active exploitation in the wild has been confirmed. It answers not the question „how severe?“ but „is it already being attacked?“ — thereby sharply prioritising patching.

    Read in glossary
    CISA assessment (SSVC)
    Exploitation: active · not automatable · Technical impact: total
    Source: CISA Vulnrichment, as of 15 October 2026
    CWE

    CWE is a catalogue of typical weakness types in software and hardware — such as flawed input validation, unsafe memory handling or poor authentication. Where a CVE names a concrete vulnerability in a concrete product, a CWE describes the underlying class of defect.

    Read in glossary
    CWE-829

    Response and mitigation

    Why act now?

    Prioritisation rationale

    On its own this bug looks modest: it requires local authenticated access, the attack complexity is high, and the statistical exploitation likelihood is low. It is on KEV because it was exploited in October 2026 as one link in a chain with CVE-2026-104935 and CVE-2026-118527 that ends in root on the VPN gateway. CISA reports no known ransomware use. Even so, ICS gateways are AD-integrated perimeter devices and are favoured targets for espionage and initial access, particularly against critical infrastructure operators and government bodies. If you run internet-facing ICS, treat the whole chain as high priority (fix within days) and run a compromise assessment. If you have no ICS in your estate, no action is required.

    1. Runbook step 1

      Immediate response (0-24 h)

      • Inventory and version check: Enumerate every Ivanti Connect Secure (ICS) gateway, including HA cluster nodes and DR instances, and confirm the running build. 22.8R2.4 and the 22.8 branch are explicitly affected. The context lists 25.1.0.0 through 25.1.1.3 as affected on the 25.1 branch.
      • Patch: For the 25.1 branch, the context names 25.1.1.3 as the fixed release. Because the stated version boundary is inconsistent, verify the exact fixed build in the vendor advisory. No fix is listed for the 22.8 branch – a patch is available from the vendor; look up the version in the vendor advisory.
      • Close the whole chain: CISA notes this flaw chains with CVE-2026-104935 and CVE-2026-118527. Remediate all three in the same maintenance window, because this local privilege escalation is normally reached through initial access gained via the other links.
      • Integrity check before patching: Run the Ivanti Integrity Checker Tool (internal and external ICT) and preserve the results. Upgrading a compromised appliance does not remove persistence that is already in place.
      • Suspected compromise – rebuild, don't clean: Disconnect the appliance, capture a forensic image or snapshot, and factory-reset it. Restore configuration only from a backup verified to be clean.
      • Rotate secrets (if compromised or uncertain): Rotate local admin accounts, LDAP/AD bind service accounts, RADIUS shared secrets, API keys, and device and TLS certificates. Force-terminate all active VPN sessions.

    2. Runbook step 2

      Mitigation layers

      • Network segmentation: Expose the management interface only to a dedicated admin network or PAWs. Never allow admin access from the external interface.
      • Egress control: Firewall the appliance's outbound traffic to an allowlist (auth servers, NTP, DNS, syslog, Ivanti update servers). Attackers typically use root access for tool staging and C2, and egress filtering breaks that stage.
      • IAM/least privilege: Minimise locally authenticated accounts on the appliance, remove unused admin roles, and enforce MFA for admin access. Exploitation requires an authenticated local actor, so every extra account widens the attack surface.
      • Limit blast radius: Restrict reachable destinations from the VPN pool and the appliance's internal interface to what the business actually needs. Review the appliance's AD service accounts for minimal rights — in particular no Domain Admin rights and no DCSync access.
      • Off-box logging: Forward event, admin, and user-access logs via syslog to an external SIEM. On-box logs cannot be trusted after a root compromise.

    3. Runbook step 3

      Detection rules

      • ICT results: New or modified files, or failed checks from the Integrity Checker Tool, are a strong signal. Schedule external ICT runs and raise any deviation in the SIEM as a P1 alert.
      • Appliance syslog: Correlate unexpected admin logins, configuration changes outside change windows, and restarts or errors involving dsinvoked or DSCache. Example SPL: index=ivanti (dsinvoked OR DSCache) | stats count by host, msg
      • Network telemetry (Zeek/Suricata/firewall): Flag new outbound connections from the appliance IP to destinations outside the allowlist, especially unknown hosts or unusual ports. Example KQL: CommonSecurityLog | where SourceIP in (ics_ips) and DestinationIP !in (allowlist)
      • AD/identity: Watch for ICS service accounts authenticating from unusual sources or at unusual times (Windows Event ID 4624/4625, 4768/4769). Also look for new Kerberos ticket requests against privileged targets.
      • Lateral movement from the VPN pool: Detect SMB, RDP, and WinRM connections sourced from the appliance's internal IP (Sysmon EID 3 on targets, Event ID 4624 logon type 3/10 with the appliance as the source).

    Detection rules

    No NEOSEC detection rule is available for this vulnerability yet.

    Classification under NIS2 and CRA

    Rule-based classification from exploitation status and severity. It does not replace a case-by-case assessment.

    NIS2

    NIS2 is EU Directive (EU) 2022/2555 to raise the level of cybersecurity across the Union. It substantially broadens obligations compared with the first NIS directive: more sectors, mandatory risk management, staged reporting duties and personal accountability of senior management.

    Read in glossary
    Actively exploited: treat the vulnerability as a priority in vulnerability handling under Art. 21(2)(e) NIS2. If it is exploited in your environment, check the reporting obligation under Art. 23 (early warning within 24 hours).
    CRA

    The CRA is EU Regulation (EU) 2024/2847 setting horizontal cybersecurity requirements for „products with digital elements“ — from industrial controllers and software to connected consumer devices. For the first time manufacturers must ensure security across the entire product lifecycle, handle vulnerabilities and provide security updates.

    Read in glossary
    Since 11.09.2026, manufacturers of affected products with digital elements must report actively exploited vulnerabilities under Art. 14 CRA, with an early warning within 24 hours via ENISA's single reporting platform.
    ISO/IEC 27001

    ISO/IEC 27001 is the internationally leading standard for an information security management system (ISMS). It describes a risk-based, process-oriented framework to systematically plan, implement, review and improve information security.

    Read in glossary
    Control A.8.8, management of technical vulnerabilities: assess relevance to your systems, plan remediation and keep evidence.

    Description

    Ivanti Connect Secure 22.8R2.4 mishandles the manner in which the dsinvoked broker trusts DSCache configuration data, leading to privilege escalation to root, as exploited in the wild in October 2026.

    Source: pwn.watch, cvelistv5, NVD (NIST), CISA KEV Catalog, BSI CSAF, BSI WID Portal

    Affected products

    The following versions are affected. Older releases of the same product line are also vulnerable unless stated otherwise.

    Affected products
    Affected versionsFixed in
    IvantiConnect Secure
    • 22.8R2.4
    • 22.8R2.4
    • —
    • —
    ivanticonnect_secure
    • 25.1.0.0 – < 25.1.1.3
    • 22.8
    • 25.1.1.3
    • —

    Vendors and products

    Weakness classes (CWE)

    • CWE-829Inclusion of Functionality from Untrusted Control Sphere

      Base

      The product imports, requires, or includes executable functionality (such as a library) from a source that is outside of the intended control sphere.

      Entry at MITRE CWE-829

    Public exploit references

    Publicly reported proof-of-concepts, exploit modules and detection templates for this vulnerability. NEOSEC links to the original sources only and does not provide any exploit code.

    Public exploit references
    CISA KEV CatalogCISA Known Exploited Vulnerability (opens in a new tab)cisa.govactively exploited

    References & sources

    • volexity.comVolexity: Chained Exploitation of Ivanti Connect Secure Zero-DaysThird-party advisory, pwn-watch, Third-party advisory
    • hub.ivanti.coms/article/Security-Advisory-Ivanti-Connect-Secure-CVE-2026-1049…related, Vendor advisory
    • pwn.watchpwn.watch: Ivanti Connect Secure zero-day chain (CVE-2026-104935) exploited for rootpwn-watch
    • cisa.govCISA Adds Two Known Exploited Vulnerabilities to Catalog (CVE-2026-111357)pwn-watch
    • ivanti.comIvanti October 2026 Security Updatepwn-watch
    • bleepingcomputer.comBleepingComputer: Ivanti warns of Connect Secure zero-daypwn-watch
    • rapid7.comIvanti Connect Secure zero-day exploited in the wild (CVE-2026-104935)pwn-watch
    • dbu.gsSale of a PoC for a vulnerability in Ivanti Connect Secure (CVE-2026-104935)pwn-watch
    • thestack.technologyIvanti patches two more CVEs amid highly unusual Connect Secure exploitationpwn-watch
    • securityonline.infoIvanti Connect Secure Vulnerability Exploited in the Wildpwn-watch
    • cisa.govknown-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-1113…government-resource, US government resource
    • cisa.govCISA Adds Two Known Exploited Vulnerabilities to Catalog (CVE-2026-111357, CVE-2026-118527)pwn-watch

    Changes to this CVE

    Who changed this CVE and when: NVD (analysis, affected products, CVSS), the CVE publisher (CNA) and additional providers such as CISA (ADP).

    1. Record modifiedCISA ADP

      CISA assessment (SSVC): exploitation: active, automatable: no

      Show 2 original changes
      Individual changes of this event as published by NVD
      TypeActionBeforeAfter
      SSVC assessmentremoved
      {"id":"CVE-2026-111357","role":"CISA Coordinator","options":[{"exploitation":"active"},{"automatable":"no"},{"technicalImpact":"total"}],"version":"2.0.3","timestamp":"2026-10-30T17:26:30.468810Z"}
      —
      SSVC assessmentadded
      —
      {"id":"CVE-2026-111357","role":"CISA Coordinator","options":[{"exploitation":"active"},{"automatable":"no"},{"technicalImpact":"total"}],"version":"2.0.3","timestamp":"2026-10-15T00:00:00+00:00"}

      Source identifier: 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0

    2. Initial analysis by NVDNVD

      Newly listed as affected:
      Show 4 original changes
      Individual changes of this event as published by NVD
      TypeActionBeforeAfter
      Product configurationadded
      —
      OR *cpe:2.3:a:ivanti:connect_secure:22.8:r2:*:*:*:*:*:* *cpe:2.3:a:ivanti:connect_secure:22.8:r2.1:*:*:*:*:*:* *cpe:2.3:a:ivanti:connect_secure:22.8:r2.2:*:*:*:*:*:* *cpe:2.3:a:ivanti:connect_secure:22.8:r2.3:*:*:*:*:*:* *cpe:2.3:a:ivanti:connect_secure:22.8:r2.4:*:*:*:*:*:* *cpe:2.3:a:ivanti:connect_secure:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 25.1.0.0 up to (excluding) 25.1.1.3 *cpe:2.3:a:ivanti:connect_secure:22.8:r2.5:*:*:*:*:*:*
      Reference typeadded
      —
      MITRE: https://hub.ivanti.com/s/article/Security-Advisory-Ivanti-Connect-Secure-CVE-2026-104935 Types: Vendor Advisory
      Reference typeadded
      —
      CISA-ADP: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-111357 Types: US Government Resource
      Reference typeadded
      —
      MITRE: https://www.volexity.com/blog/2026/10/13/a-series-of-unauthenticated-events-chained-exploitation-of-ivanti-connect-secure-zero-days/ Types: Third Party Advisory

      Source identifier: nvd@nist.gov

    3. CISA KEV entry updated9119a7d8…

      4 individual changes: Date Added, Due Date, Required Action, Vulnerability Name

      Show 4 original changes
      Individual changes of this event as published by NVD
      TypeActionBeforeAfter
      Date Addedadded
      —
      2026-10-30
      Due Dateadded
      —
      2026-10-30
      Required Actionadded
      —
      2026-10-30
      Vulnerability Nameadded
      —
      2026-10-30

      Source identifier: 9119a7d8-5eab-497f-8521-727c672e3725

    4. Record modifiedCISA ADP

      CISA assessment (SSVC): exploitation: active, automatable: no

      Show 3 original changes
      Individual changes of this event as published by NVD
      TypeActionBeforeAfter
      Referenceadded
      —
      https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-111357
      SSVC assessmentremoved
      {"id":"CVE-2026-111357","role":"CISA Coordinator","options":[{"exploitation":"none"},{"automatable":"no"},{"technicalImpact":"total"}],"version":"2.0.3","timestamp":"2026-10-15T00:00:00+00:00"}
      —
      SSVC assessmentadded
      —
      {"id":"CVE-2026-111357","role":"CISA Coordinator","options":[{"exploitation":"active"},{"automatable":"no"},{"technicalImpact":"total"}],"version":"2.0.3","timestamp":"2026-10-30T17:26:30.468810Z"}

      Source identifier: 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0

    5. Record modifiedCISA ADP

      CISA assessment (SSVC): exploitation: none known, automatable: no

      Show 2 original changes
      Individual changes of this event as published by NVD
      TypeActionBeforeAfter
      SSVC assessmentremoved
      {"id":"CVE-2026-111357","role":"CISA Coordinator","options":[{"exploitation":"none"},{"automatable":"no"},{"technicalImpact":"total"}],"version":"2.0.3","timestamp":"2026-10-16T03:57:19.081487Z"}
      —
      SSVC assessmentadded
      —
      {"id":"CVE-2026-111357","role":"CISA Coordinator","options":[{"exploitation":"none"},{"automatable":"no"},{"technicalImpact":"total"}],"version":"2.0.3","timestamp":"2026-10-15T00:00:00+00:00"}

      Source identifier: 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0

    Show 3 older changes

    1. Record modifiedCISA ADP

      CISA assessment (SSVC): exploitation: none known, automatable: no

      Show 2 original changes
      Individual changes of this event as published by NVD
      TypeActionBeforeAfter
      SSVC assessmentremoved
      {"id":"CVE-2026-111357","role":"CISA Coordinator","options":[{"exploitation":"none"},{"automatable":"no"},{"technicalImpact":"total"}],"version":"2.0.3","timestamp":"2026-10-15T00:00:00+00:00"}
      —
      SSVC assessmentadded
      —
      {"id":"CVE-2026-111357","role":"CISA Coordinator","options":[{"exploitation":"none"},{"automatable":"no"},{"technicalImpact":"total"}],"version":"2.0.3","timestamp":"2026-10-16T03:57:19.081487Z"}

      Source identifier: 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0

    2. Record modifiedCISA ADP

      CISA assessment (SSVC): exploitation: none known, automatable: no

      Show the original change
      Individual changes of this event as published by NVD
      TypeActionBeforeAfter
      SSVC assessmentadded
      —
      {"id":"CVE-2026-111357","role":"CISA Coordinator","options":[{"exploitation":"none"},{"automatable":"no"},{"technicalImpact":"total"}],"version":"2.0.3","timestamp":"2026-10-15T00:00:00+00:00"}

      Source identifier: 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0

    3. ReceivedMITRE

      CVSS V3.1: AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

      Weakness type: CWE-829

      Description added or changed

      Show 6 original changes
      Individual changes of this event as published by NVD
      TypeActionBeforeAfter
      Descriptionadded
      —
      Ivanti Connect Secure 22.8R2.4 mishandles the manner in which the dsinvoked broker trusts DSCache configuration data, leading to privilege escalation to root, as exploited in the wild in October 2026.
      CVSSadded
      —
      AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
      Weakness type (CWE)added
      —
      CWE-829
      Affected versions (publisher)added
      —
      New affected value received. <a href="https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/blob/main/cves/2026/111xxx/CVE-2026-111357.json">CVE-2026-111357</a>
      Referenceadded
      —
      https://hub.ivanti.com/s/article/Security-Advisory-Ivanti-Connect-Secure-CVE-2026-104935
      Referenceadded
      —
      https://www.volexity.com/blog/2026/10/13/a-series-of-unauthenticated-events-chained-exploitation-of-ivanti-connect-secure-zero-days/

      Source identifier: cve@mitre.org

    Linked advisories

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    Badge preview for CVE-2026-111357
    <a href="https://intel.neosec.eu/en/cve/CVE-2026-111357"><img src="https://intel.neosec.eu/badge/cve/CVE-2026-111357.svg?lang=en" alt="CVE-2026-111357 – NEOSEC Intel" height="20"></a>