CVE-2019-15710 in FortiExtender
Summary
by MITRE
An OS command injection vulnerability in FortiExtender 4.1.1 and below under CLI admin console may allow unauthorized administrators to run arbitrary system level commands via specially crafted "execute date" commands.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/01/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-15710 represents a critical operating system command injection flaw within FortiExtender firmware versions 4.1.1 and earlier. This security weakness specifically affects the command line interface administrative console, creating a pathway for malicious actors to execute unauthorized system-level commands. The vulnerability manifests through crafted "execute date" commands that bypass normal input validation mechanisms, allowing attackers to inject and execute arbitrary operating system commands with elevated privileges.
This command injection vulnerability falls under the CWE-77 category, specifically classified as OS Command Injection, which occurs when an application passes untrusted data to an operating system command without proper sanitization or validation. The flaw exists in the CLI administration interface where user input is directly incorporated into system commands without adequate filtering or escaping mechanisms. The attack vector leverages the administrative console's trust model, where legitimate administrative users can be compromised to execute malicious payloads that ultimately run with the privileges of the system account.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides attackers with full system control over affected FortiExtender devices. Unauthorized administrators can leverage this flaw to gain persistent access to network infrastructure, potentially leading to complete network compromise. The vulnerability affects not just individual devices but entire network segments that rely on FortiExtender for connectivity, as these devices often serve as critical network gateways and may be used to control access to internal resources. Attackers can use the injected commands to establish backdoors, exfiltrate data, modify network configurations, or use the device as a pivot point for further attacks within the network.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including firmware updates to versions that address this vulnerability, which typically include proper input validation and sanitization of CLI commands. Network segmentation and access control measures should be enforced to limit administrative access to only authorized personnel with legitimate business needs. The principle of least privilege should be applied to administrative accounts, and all administrative sessions should be monitored for suspicious command execution patterns. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous command execution behaviors and alert security teams to potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1068 for Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, highlighting the need for comprehensive defensive measures across multiple security domains to prevent successful exploitation.