CVE-2016-3193 in FortiManager
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the appliance web-application in Fortinet FortiManager 5.x before 5.0.12, 5.2.x before 5.2.6, and 5.4.x before 5.4.1 and FortiAnalyzer 5.x before 5.0.13, 5.2.x before 5.2.6, and 5.4.x before 5.4.1 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/14/2022
The CVE-2016-3193 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Fortinet's FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer appliance web interfaces. This vulnerability exists within the web application layer of these security management platforms, which are widely deployed in enterprise environments for centralized network security policy management and log analysis. The affected versions span multiple release branches including 5.x, 5.2.x, and 5.4.x, indicating a prolonged exposure window that allowed attackers to exploit this weakness across various deployments. The vulnerability specifically impacts the web application interface of these appliances, which serve as central management points for Fortinet security devices, making the attack surface particularly significant for organizations relying on these platforms.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the web application components of FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer. Attackers with authenticated access to these systems can exploit unspecified vectors to inject malicious JavaScript code or HTML content into the web interface. This occurs when user-supplied input is not properly sanitized before being rendered in web pages, creating an environment where crafted payloads can execute in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and is classified as a persistent XSS flaw, meaning that malicious scripts can be stored on the server and executed whenever affected users access the compromised pages. This weakness directly maps to CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental web application security issue that has been extensively documented in the OWASP Top Ten and other security frameworks.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-3193 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities within the compromised environment. Authorized users who access the vulnerable web interfaces become potential victims of session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration attacks. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges, manipulate security policies, access sensitive configuration data, and potentially compromise the entire security infrastructure managed by these appliances. The attack requires only authenticated access, which makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by insiders or compromised legitimate users. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 - Valid Accounts, where adversaries use compromised credentials to access systems and maintain persistence. The vulnerability's impact is amplified in enterprise environments where FortiManager appliances control critical network security policies, making successful exploitation a significant threat to overall security posture.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches for FortiManager versions 5.0.12, 5.2.6, and 5.4.1, and FortiAnalyzer versions 5.0.13, 5.2.6, and 5.4.1. Network segmentation and privileged access controls should be enforced to limit the scope of potential exploitation, while monitoring systems should be configured to detect anomalous user behavior patterns. Regular security assessments and web application firewalls should be deployed to provide additional layers of protection. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and output encoding in web applications, reinforcing the need for security-conscious development practices and regular vulnerability assessments. Organizations should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative access to these critical systems and establish robust incident response procedures to quickly address any potential exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that the patches do not introduce compatibility issues with existing deployments while maintaining the integrity of the security management infrastructure.