Description

A Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability in Ivanti Neurons for ITSM before 2026.2 allows a remote authenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code on the server.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "9.9",
  "pubDate": "2026-09-08T15:18:40.850Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-09-08T15:18:40.850Z",
  "executiveSummary": "Ivanti Neurons for ITSM is susceptible to a critical deserialization of untrusted data vulnerability. This security flaw allows a remote authenticated attacker to achieve remote code execution (RCE) on the underlying server infrastructure.\nThe vulnerability resides in the application's processing of serialized objects, where improper validation allows for the injection of malicious payloads. An attacker can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary commands, potentially leading to a full system compromise, unauthorized data access, or lateral movement within the enterprise network.\nThe vulnerability affects all versions of Ivanti Neurons for ITSM prior to 2026.2. The primary requirement for exploitation is that the attacker possesses authenticated access to the system. Given the nature of the flaw, the risk is categorized as high, as it grants attackers significant control over the server environment. Organizations utilizing affected versions are at immediate risk of exploitation until the software is updated to version 2026.2 or later.",
  "technicalDetails": "The vulnerability is identified as a Deserialization of Untrusted Data issue within the Ivanti Neurons for ITSM platform. Deserialization involves converting a stored or transmitted data format back into an object in memory. In this instance, the application fails to adequately validate or constrain the data prior to the reconstruction process.\nThe root cause originates from the application's implementation of object reconstruction, which lacks sufficient integrity checks or type enforcement. When the application receives a serialized object, it deserializes the stream without ensuring that the input adheres to expected formats or classes. This allows an attacker to supply a crafted serialized object containing malicious gadgets or payloads.\nThe attack flow begins with the authenticated attacker identifying an endpoint or input vector that accepts serialized data objects. By leveraging existing 'gadget chains'—sequences of instructions available within the application's existing libraries or dependencies—the attacker can craft a payload designed to trigger unintended behavior upon deserialization. As the object is reconstructed, the execution flow is redirected to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the application process.\nThis vulnerability is classified under the umbrella of unsafe deserialization, where the object's state is manipulated to alter the application's operational logic. Since the server trustfully deserializes the input, the malicious instructions are executed within the context of the ITSM service. The impact is significant; it facilitates remote code execution (RCE) which bypasses standard application-level security controls.\nPost-exploitation activities are limited only by the privileges of the service account running the Ivanti Neurons ITSM process. An attacker can deploy web shells, execute administrative commands, exfiltrate sensitive configuration data, or establish persistence to maintain control over the server. The vulnerability is considered remote because it can be triggered over the network, though it strictly requires a valid authenticated session to reach the vulnerable deserialization routines. Because the flaw exists in the core processing logic of the product, remediation requires applying the vendor-supplied security patch to move to version 2026.2, which presumably implements more robust input filtering or secure object serialization practices."
}