CVE-2023-46805
CVE-2023-46805 is a security flaw in Ivanti Connect Secure and Policy Secure, a VPN companies use to let staff in from outside. Attackers can run commands on Ivanti Connect Secure and Policy Secure. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 10 Jan 2024, and says ransomware gangs have used it.[1]
Ivanti Connect Secure and Policy Secure is business software or equipment. Most families won’t have it, but attackers break into it to get inside companies, and from there to what those companies hold about their customers, patients and staff. Ivanti has published a fix or advice.
Description
CISA calls it an authentication bypass in Ivanti Connect Secure and Policy Secure. In its words: “Ivanti Connect Secure (ICS, formerly known as Pulse Connect Secure) and Ivanti Policy Secure gateways contain an authentication bypass vulnerability in the web component that allows an attacker to access restricted resources by bypassing control checks. This vulnerability can be leveraged in conjunction with CVE-2024-21887, a command injection vulnerability.”[1]
The underlying weakness is improper authentication (CWE-287), in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.[2]
It scores 8.2 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it high, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record doesn’t list version ranges for it; Ivanti’s advisory has them[3]. CISA names the product as Ivanti Connect Secure and Policy Secure.
Most families won’t have Ivanti Connect Secure and Policy Secure; it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 10 Jan 2024. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 22 Jan 2024 to fix it.[1] CISA says ransomware gangs have used it.
FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at over 99%. That’s in the top 1% of the flaws it scores.[4]
CISA assesses it as automatable: attackers can run it against many targets at once.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
Ivanti has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.”[1]
- Check whether you use it.Ivanti Connect Secure and Policy Secure is business software or equipment, so most families won’t have it. If you run a business, or work from home on company equipment, ask whoever looks after your IT.
- Send this page to your IT person.Ask them to confirm it’s fixed, or not in use. CISA gave US government agencies until 22 Jan 2024 to fix it.
- If it can’t be fixed, take it offline.CISA’s advice when there’s no fix is to stop using the product, or take it off the internet, until there is one.
You can’t fix someone else’s server, but you can watch for what follows a break-in like this: a breach notice, a password reset you didn’t ask for, or a scam message that knows things it shouldn’t. HARD watches for those for you and your family.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks, noting that ransomware gangs have used it.[1] | |
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 8.2.[2] | |
| CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1] | |
| FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at over 99%.[4] |
See also
Other Ivanti Connect Secure and Policy Secure flaws
- CVE-2024-21887: command injection ·
Other Ivanti flaws
- CVE-2026-118527, Ivanti Connect Secure: generation of predictable numbers or identifiers ·
- CVE-2026-111357, Ivanti Connect Secure: missing authentication for critical function ·
- CVE-2026-104935, Ivanti Connect Secure: authentication bypass by spoofing ·
- CVE-2026-10520, Ivanti Sentry: OS command injection ·
- CVE-2026-6973, Ivanti Endpoint Manager Mobile (EPMM): improper input validation ·
Other improper authentication flaws
- CVE-2026-105133, AhsayCBS: improper authentication ·
- CVE-2026-42018, JFrog Artifactory: improper authentication ·
- CVE-2026-82329, JFrog Artifactory: improper authentication ·
- CVE-2026-59822, BerriAI LiteLLM: improper authentication ·
- CVE-2023-49105, ownCloud: improper authentication ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2024-21887, Ivanti Connect Secure and Policy Secure: command injection ·
- CVE-2023-29357, Microsoft SharePoint Server: privilege escalation ·
Every Ivanti flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in January 2024
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Ivanti Connect Secure and Policy Secure Authentication Bypass Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 10 Jan 2024.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2023-46805 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 12 Jan 2024.
- ^ Ivanti. Advisories and fixes: forums.ivanti.com, forums.ivanti.com.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 1.000, percentile 100.0, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2023-46805”. The official CVE record.
This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.