A high-severity security vulnerability (CVE-2024-12284) has been discovered in NetScaler Console (formerly NetScaler ADM) and NetScaler Agent, posing a risk of authenticated privilege escalation. If exploited, attackers with existing access could potentially elevate their privileges, gaining higher-level control over the system.
Who is Affected?
The following versions of NetScaler Console and NetScaler Agent are affected:
- NetScaler Console 14.1 – Versions before 14.1-38.53
- NetScaler Console 13.1 – Versions before 13.1-56.18
- NetScaler Agent 14.1 – Versions before 14.1-38.53
- NetScaler Agent 13.1 – Versions before 13.1-56.18
This vulnerability only impacts customer-managed NetScaler Console deployments and those with NetScaler Console Agents. Customers using Citrix-managed NetScaler Console Service are not affected and do not need to take any action.
Tim Jenkins, Head of Cyber Defense Research at SentryBay, highlighted the severity of CVE-2024-12284, stating:
“This vulnerability affects critical NetScaler management interfaces, including the console and agents, allowing attackers to exploit it for privilege escalation—potentially elevating low-level access to full administrative rights—or even launching a denial-of-service attack. Because these management interfaces are central to controlling critical infrastructure, it is essential that they are accessed only from hardened, trusted endpoints. This is why enforcing the use of privileged access workstations is a key mitigation strategy.”
Organizations must act swiftly by applying vendor patches, implementing network segmentation, and enforcing strict access controls. By limiting access to secure privileged access workstations (PAWs), businesses can significantly reduce the risk of exploitation, ensuring that only trusted and authorized administrators can interact with critical NetScaler systems.
What is the Risk?
CVE-2024-12284 is classified under CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management, with a CVSS v4.0 base score of 8.8 (High). This means:
- Attackers must have authenticated access but could escalate their privileges.
- The exploit could lead to compromised system integrity and increased risk of further attacks.
What Should You Do?
Citrix urges all affected customers to update immediately to the latest fixed versions:
- NetScaler Console 14.1-38.53 or later
- NetScaler Console 13.1-56.18 or later
- NetScaler Agent 14.1-38.53 or later
- NetScaler Agent 13.1-56.18 or later
Recommendations from SentryBay
- If you’re using an older version, upgrade as soon as possible to mitigate potential risks.
- If your deployment is Citrix-managed, no action is required.
- Always follow best security practices, including limiting access privileges and monitoring for unusual activity.
Administrators must maintain the security and integrity of critical systems—including NetScaler management interfaces—by applying the latest patches without delay. Vulnerabilities such as CVE-2024-12284 present significant security risks and must be remediated immediately through vendor patches, network segmentation, and stringent firewall and access controls. Furthermore, management access should be restricted exclusively to hardened, trusted endpoints provided by Privileged Access Workstations (PAWs) to minimize exposure to threats.
To safeguard privileged access, SentryBay’s Armored Client provides a patented endpoint threat prevention solution that ensures administrators operate within a secure, isolated environment. This impenetrable browser session blocks local exploits, preventing unauthorized access to sensitive credentials and critical infrastructure. By enforcing the use of the Armored Client, organizations can guarantee that only trusted and authorized administrators can access Citrix NetScaler and other essential systems, significantly reducing the attack surface and mitigating cybersecurity threats.
