CVE-2016-4969 in FortiWan
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Fortinet FortiWan (formerly AscernLink) before 4.2.5 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the IP parameter to script/statistics/getconn.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/01/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-4969 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in Fortinet FortiWan firmware versions prior to 4.2.5. This security weakness resides within the web interface of the network management system, specifically in the script/statistics/getconn.php endpoint where the IP parameter is processed without adequate input validation or output sanitization. The affected system was previously known as AscernLink, indicating this vulnerability has been present across multiple firmware iterations and product line changes within Fortinet's portfolio.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting as a code injection flaw where malicious scripts are injected into otherwise benign web applications. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that include HTML or JavaScript code within the IP parameter, which then gets executed in the context of other users' browsers when they access the vulnerable statistics page. This type of vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically targeting web-based command execution through browser interfaces.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code in the context of authenticated users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to network statistics and potentially escalate privileges within the FortiWan management interface. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation does not require physical access to the network infrastructure, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that expose their FortiWan management interfaces to external networks.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to FortiWan firmware version 4.2.5 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Network segmentation should be enforced to limit access to the FortiWan management interface, and administrative access should be restricted to trusted networks only. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and input validation controls can provide additional layers of protection against similar attacks. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, particularly focusing on unusual parameter values in the statistics endpoints. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of regular firmware updates and proper input validation in network management systems to prevent attackers from leveraging seemingly minor flaws to achieve significant security breaches.