CVE-2017-14189 in FortiWebManager
Summary
by MITRE
An improper access control vulnerability in Fortinet FortiWebManager 5.8.0 allows anyone that can access the admin webUI to successfully log-in regardless the provided password.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/25/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2017-14189 represents a critical improper access control flaw within Fortinet FortiWebManager version 5.8.0, specifically affecting the administrative web user interface. This weakness fundamentally undermines the authentication mechanism that should protect administrative access to the system, creating a severe security risk for organizations relying on this web application firewall management platform. The issue manifests as a complete bypass of the password verification process, allowing any remote attacker with access to the admin webUI to gain unauthorized administrative privileges without providing valid credentials.
This vulnerability falls under the CWE-284 access control weakness category, specifically addressing improper access control where the system fails to properly enforce authentication requirements. The flaw operates at the application layer of the OSI model, exploiting a design error in the authentication module that processes administrative login requests. The root cause appears to stem from insufficient input validation and authentication logic implementation within the FortiWebManager's administrative web interface, where the system accepts all login attempts without proper credential verification. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it eliminates the need for attackers to perform password guessing, brute force attacks, or credential theft, as the authentication mechanism itself is fundamentally compromised.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with complete administrative control over the FortiWebManager system. This level of access enables malicious actors to modify firewall rules, configure network policies, view sensitive configuration data, and potentially compromise the entire security infrastructure managed by the device. The vulnerability affects organizations that deploy FortiWebManager for web application firewall management, which typically protects critical web applications and services, making this compromise particularly severe. Attackers could exploit this weakness to gain access to sensitive corporate data, modify security policies, or establish persistent access points within the network infrastructure.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including network segmentation to restrict access to the FortiWebManager administrative interface, deployment of network access control measures to limit who can reach the management webUI, and implementation of additional authentication layers such as two-factor authentication where supported. The vendor has released patches and updates to address this vulnerability, which organizations must apply immediately to remediate the risk. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unauthorized access attempts and unusual administrative activities within the FortiWebManager environment. This vulnerability aligns with attack patterns described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the credential access and privilege escalation domains, as it enables attackers to bypass standard authentication mechanisms and achieve administrative privileges without traditional attack vectors. The incident underscores the importance of proper authentication implementation and regular security assessments of management interfaces to prevent similar access control failures that could lead to complete system compromise.