CVE-2020-15942 in FortiWeb
Summary
by MITRE • 04/12/2021
An information disclosure vulnerability in Web Vulnerability Scan profile of Fortinet's FortiWeb version 6.2.x below 6.2.4 and version 6.3.x below 6.3.5 may allow a remote authenticated attacker to read the password used by the FortiWeb scanner to access the device defined in the scan profile.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/15/2021
This information disclosure vulnerability exists within Fortinet's FortiWeb web application firewall product, specifically affecting the Web Vulnerability Scan profile functionality. The flaw allows a remote authenticated attacker to extract sensitive credentials that are used by the FortiWeb scanner when accessing target devices defined in scan profiles. This represents a significant security risk as it directly compromises the integrity of the scanning infrastructure and potentially exposes authentication credentials for systems under assessment. The vulnerability impacts multiple versions including 6.2.x versions prior to 6.2.4 and 6.3.x versions prior to 6.3.5, indicating a widespread issue affecting the product's scanning capabilities.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate access controls and improper handling of sensitive data within the FortiWeb scanner component. When administrators configure scan profiles for web vulnerability assessments, the system stores authentication credentials for target devices within the scan profile configuration. The flaw occurs during the processing of these scan profiles where the system fails to properly restrict access to the stored password information, allowing authenticated users to retrieve these credentials through specific API calls or administrative interfaces. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses improper exposure of sensitive information, and demonstrates poor input validation and access control mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it enables attackers to escalate their privileges and potentially gain unauthorized access to systems that would normally be protected by FortiWeb's scanning infrastructure. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could use the retrieved credentials to access target systems, perform additional reconnaissance, or conduct further attacks against the network infrastructure. The remote nature of the attack means that an authenticated user with sufficient privileges could exploit this without requiring physical access to the FortiWeb device, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple administrators have access to the system. This vulnerability also violates fundamental security principles outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the credential access tactic, where adversaries seek to obtain credentials for accounts with elevated privileges.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement the available patches provided by Fortinet for versions 6.2.4 and 6.3.5 respectively. Administrators should conduct thorough reviews of all scan profiles to identify and rotate any compromised credentials, implementing stricter access controls and monitoring for unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper credential management within security tools and the necessity of regular security assessments to identify potential information disclosure risks. Additional mitigations include implementing network segmentation to limit access to FortiWeb administrative interfaces, enforcing multi-factor authentication for administrative access, and establishing robust logging and monitoring for credential access activities. Security teams should also consider conducting penetration testing to verify that scan profiles do not contain exposed credentials and that access controls are properly enforced throughout the system.