CVE-2017-17541 in FortiManager
Summary
by MITRE
A Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Fortinet FortiManager 6.0.0, 5.6.4 and below versions, FortiAnalyzer 6.0.0, 5.6.4 and below versions allows inject Javascript code and HTML tags through the CN value of CA and CRL certificates via the import CA and CRL certificates feature.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/09/2023
This cross-site scripting vulnerability exists within Fortinet's FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer products affecting versions 6.0.0 and 5.6.4 and below. The flaw resides in the certificate import functionality where the system fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input when processing the Common Name (CN) field within Certificate Authority (CA) and Certificate Revocation List (CRL) certificates. This represents a classic server-side input validation issue that allows malicious actors to inject malicious scripts and HTML content through the certificate import process.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of the CN parameter during certificate import operations. When administrators or users upload CA or CRL certificates through the web interface, the system processes the CN value without adequate filtering or encoding of potentially malicious content. This creates an opportunity for attackers to craft specially formatted certificates containing embedded JavaScript code or HTML tags that will execute in the context of other users' browsers when the certificate information is displayed within the application's web interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with persistent access to the administrative interface. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the browser context of authenticated users, potentially leading to session hijacking, privilege escalation, or data exfiltration. The vulnerability affects both FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer platforms, which are critical infrastructure components for network security management, making the potential impact particularly severe for organizations relying on these systems for certificate management and security policy enforcement.
The vulnerability maps directly to CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which specifically addresses the failure to properly encode or escape user-supplied data before including it in web pages. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 - Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment, as it enables attackers to deliver malicious payloads through seemingly legitimate certificate import operations. The attack chain typically involves crafting a malicious certificate with embedded scripts in the CN field, uploading it through the vulnerable import functionality, and then waiting for an administrator to view the certificate information, thereby triggering the execution of the malicious code.
Organizations should immediately apply the vendor-provided security patches released for FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer versions 6.0.0 and 5.6.4 and below to remediate this vulnerability. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit who can perform certificate import operations, reducing the attack surface. Regular security assessments of web applications should include thorough testing of input validation mechanisms, particularly for file upload and import features. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers and proper output encoding to mitigate the impact of potential XSS attacks in web applications.