CVE-2020-29017 in FortiDeceptor
Summary
by MITRE • 01/14/2021
An OS command injection vulnerability in FortiDeceptor 3.1.0, 3.0.1, 3.0.0 may allow a remote authenticated attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the system by exploiting a command injection vulnerability on the Customization page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/14/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-29017 represents a critical operating system command injection flaw within FortiDeceptor versions 3.1.0, 3.0.1, and 3.0.0. This security weakness exists within the Customization page functionality of the FortiDeceptor network deception platform, which is designed to detect and analyze malicious activities in enterprise environments. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly handle user-supplied data in command execution contexts, creating an exploitable pathway for malicious actors to gain unauthorized system access.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an authenticated attacker submits malicious input through the Customization page interface, which then gets processed and executed as system commands without adequate sanitization. This flaw falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-77, which specifically addresses command injection vulnerabilities where untrusted data is incorporated into operating system commands. The vulnerability enables attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected service account, potentially leading to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive network infrastructure.
From an operational perspective, the impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple command execution, as it provides attackers with persistent access to the FortiDeceptor system and potentially broader network resources. The authenticated nature of the attack means that adversaries must first obtain valid credentials, but once achieved, they can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges, establish backdoors, or conduct further reconnaissance within the network. This threat vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001, which covers command and scripting interpreter execution, and T1566.001, covering spearphishing via social engineering, as attackers could potentially use compromised accounts to exploit this vulnerability.
Organizations utilizing FortiDeceptor versions affected by CVE-2020-29017 face significant operational risks, including potential data breaches, system compromise, and disruption of network security monitoring capabilities. The vulnerability undermines the integrity of the deception platform, which is specifically designed to detect and analyze malicious activities, potentially allowing attackers to evade detection while simultaneously compromising the very system meant to protect against such threats. Security teams must prioritize immediate remediation through official Fortinet patches, implement network segmentation to limit access to the affected system, and conduct thorough security assessments to identify any potential compromise. Additionally, implementing proper input validation, output encoding, and principle of least privilege access controls would significantly reduce the risk of exploitation and provide defense-in-depth measures against similar vulnerabilities in the future.