CVE-2018-1354 in FortiManager
Summary
by MITRE
An improper access control vulnerability in Fortinet FortiManager 6.0.0 and below versions, FortiAnalyzer 6.0.0 and below versions allows a regular user edit the avatar picture of other users with arbitrary content.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/29/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-1354 represents a critical improper access control flaw within Fortinet's FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer platforms. This security weakness affects versions 6.0.0 and earlier, creating a significant risk for organizations relying on these network security management tools. The vulnerability stems from insufficient authorization checks that allow regular users to manipulate user profile attributes, specifically the avatar image field, which can be exploited to upload arbitrary content. This flaw demonstrates a fundamental breakdown in the principle of least privilege and proper access control mechanisms within the affected Fortinet products.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a lack of proper input validation and access control enforcement within the user management subsystem of FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer. When a regular user attempts to modify another user's avatar, the system fails to verify whether the requesting user has appropriate authorization rights to perform such an action. This oversight creates a path for privilege escalation through unauthorized modification of user profiles, potentially enabling attackers to inject malicious content or manipulate user data in ways that could compromise system integrity and user trust. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the user management interface functionality, making it particularly dangerous for environments where multiple users interact with the security management platform.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-1354 extends beyond simple data manipulation, creating potential risks for both confidentiality and integrity within affected environments. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could upload malicious content through the avatar field, potentially leading to cross-site scripting attacks or other client-side exploits when other users view these modified profiles. This weakness could also facilitate social engineering campaigns where attackers manipulate user avatars to appear as legitimate system notifications or warnings. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on these Fortinet platforms for centralized security management, potentially compromising the trust model and user authentication mechanisms within the security infrastructure.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to Fortinet versions that address this vulnerability, typically versions 6.0.1 and later which include proper access control enforcement. Network segmentation and monitoring of user profile modification activities should be implemented to detect anomalous behavior. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and corresponds to tactics in the MITRE ATT&CK framework related to privilege escalation and defense evasion. Administrators should also review and enforce strict access control policies, implement regular security audits of user management functions, and ensure that all Fortinet products are kept up to date with the latest security patches to prevent exploitation of similar access control weaknesses in the future.