Unresolved Remote Hacking Vulnerability Uncovered in Fortinet’s FortiWeb WAF
Published on August 18, 2021
A newly identified, unaddressed security vulnerability has been reported in Fortinet’s FortiWeb Web Application Firewall (WAF) appliances, raising concerns among cybersecurity experts. This flaw could potentially permit a remote, authenticated attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the system, exploiting weaknesses in the management interface, specifically found in versions 6.3.11 and earlier. The cybersecurity firm Rapid7 disclosed these findings in an advisory issued earlier this week.
According to Rapid7, the issue relates to an OS command injection vulnerability that affects the SAML server configuration page of FortiWeb. This vulnerability has drawn parallels with CVE-2021-22123, which Fortinet previously addressed in their security update FG-IR-20-120. Rapid7 noted that they discovered and reported this critical issue back in June 2021. Fortinet is anticipated to issue a patch by the end of August with the release of FortiWeb version 6.4.1.
Despite its significance, this command injection vulnerability has not yet been assigned a CVE identifier but has been rated 8.7 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS). The successful exploitation of this vulnerability could enable authenticated attackers to exert considerable control over affected systems, raising alarms within the cybersecurity community.
In terms of the potential tactics and techniques employed in this attack, the MITRE ATT&CK framework provides useful context. The initial access phase could be achieved through compromised credentials, allowing an attacker to gain authenticated access. Subsequent steps might involve privilege escalation, taking advantage of the injection flaw to execute commands with elevated rights, thereby increasing the attacker’s control over the system.
While Fortinet prepares to address this vulnerability, businesses relying on FortiWeb must remain vigilant. Cybersecurity risks continue to evolve, and organizations should prioritize updating their systems to mitigate exposure to such critical threats. Maintaining a proactive security posture is essential for safeguarding sensitive data and preserving operational integrity in today’s increasingly sophisticated cyber landscape.
As the situation develops, businesses should stay informed and take appropriate measures to ensure their systems are protected against such vulnerabilities.