CVE-2016-3195 in FortiManager
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Web-UI in Fortinet FortiManager 5.x before 5.0.12 and 5.2.x before 5.2.6 and FortiAnalyzer 5.x before 5.0.13 and 5.2.x before 5.2.6 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/14/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-3195 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within the web-based user interface of Fortinet's FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer products. This security weakness affects multiple versions including FortiManager 5.x before 5.0.12 and 5.2.x before 5.2.6, as well as FortiAnalyzer 5.x before 5.0.13 and 5.2.x before 5.2.6. The vulnerability resides in the web management interface components that handle user input processing and output rendering. Attackers can exploit this flaw to inject malicious web scripts or HTML code into the affected systems, potentially compromising the security of users interacting with the administrative interface.
This XSS vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-site Scripting flaws in web applications. The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves insufficient input validation and output encoding within the web UI components of these Fortinet security appliances. The unspecified vectors suggest that the attack could potentially occur through multiple entry points within the web interface, including form fields, URL parameters, or other user-controllable input areas. The vulnerability's nature allows attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of the victim's browser session, which can lead to unauthorized access to administrative functions or data exfiltration.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it provides remote attackers with the capability to compromise the administrative interfaces of critical network security devices. When exploited, the XSS flaw could enable attackers to perform actions such as stealing administrative sessions, modifying configuration settings, accessing sensitive data, or redirecting users to malicious websites. The attack vector being remote means that exploitation does not require physical access to the devices, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous for organizations that rely on these appliances for network security management. This weakness could be leveraged to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized control over the Fortinet security appliances, potentially affecting the entire network security infrastructure.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches and updates for FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer versions affected by this vulnerability. The recommended approach involves upgrading to the patched versions where FortiManager 5.0.12 and 5.2.6 and FortiAnalyzer 5.0.13 and 5.2.6 contain the necessary security fixes. Network administrators should also consider implementing additional security controls such as web application firewalls, input validation measures, and regular security monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter suggests that attackers may attempt to use this vulnerability as a foothold for further exploitation. Security teams should monitor for suspicious web traffic patterns and implement proper input sanitization measures to prevent the injection of malicious scripts into the web interface components.