CVE-2015-3615 in FortiManager
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Fortinet FortiManager 5.0.x before 5.0.11, 5.2.x before 5.2.2 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via vectors involving unspecified parameters and a privilege escalation attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/08/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-3615 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Fortinet FortiManager versions 5.0.x prior to 5.0.11 and 5.2.x prior to 5.2.2. This weakness resides in the authentication and authorization mechanisms of the FortiManager system, which is a centralized network security management platform used by organizations to manage multiple Fortinet firewalls and security appliances. The vulnerability specifically affects the privilege escalation attack surface, where authenticated users can exploit the XSS flaw to execute malicious code within the context of other users' sessions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through unspecified parameters that are not properly sanitized or validated within the FortiManager web interface. When an authenticated attacker crafts malicious input containing script code and submits it through these vulnerable parameters, the system fails to adequately filter or escape the input before rendering it in web pages. This allows the injected script to execute in the browser of legitimate users who view the affected pages, potentially leading to session hijacking, data exfiltration, or unauthorized administrative actions. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it combines both XSS capabilities with privilege escalation potential, enabling attackers to gain elevated access rights beyond their normal user permissions.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-3615 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to manipulate the FortiManager administrative interface and potentially compromise the entire network security infrastructure managed by the system. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could execute commands with administrative privileges, modify security policies, access sensitive network configurations, or redirect traffic to malicious destinations. The implications are severe for organizations relying on FortiManager for centralized security management, as compromise of this system could provide attackers with a foothold to control multiple network devices and bypass security controls across the enterprise network.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to FortiManager versions 5.0.11 or 5.2.2, which contain the necessary patches to address the XSS vulnerability and prevent privilege escalation attacks. Network segmentation and monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual administrative activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security controls should include input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent script injection, while regular security assessments should verify that all FortiManager instances are properly updated and configured according to Fortinet's security recommendations. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 (Cross-site Scripting) and may be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) when exploited for privilege escalation.