CVE-2022-41330 in FortiOS
Summary
by MITRE • 04/11/2023
An improper neutralization of input during web page generation vulnerability ('Cross-site Scripting') [CWE-79] in Fortinet FortiOS version 7.2.0 through 7.2.3, version 7.0.0 through 7.0.9, version 6.4.0 through 6.4.11 and before 6.2.12 and FortiProxy version 7.2.0 through 7.2.1 and before 7.0.7 allows an unauthenticated attacker to perform an XSS attack via crafted HTTP GET requests.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/28/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-41330 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw that affects multiple versions of Fortinet's FortiOS and FortiProxy products. This weakness falls under CWE-79, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of input during web page generation, making it a classic XSS vulnerability that can be exploited by malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The affected versions span across FortiOS 6.2.12 and earlier releases, including the 6.4.0 through 6.4.11, 7.0.0 through 7.0.9, and 7.2.0 through 7.2.3 ranges, along with FortiProxy versions 7.0.7 and earlier, including 7.2.0 through 7.2.1.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through crafted HTTP GET requests that are processed by the affected web applications without proper input sanitization. An unauthenticated attacker can leverage this flaw to inject malicious scripts into web pages that are subsequently rendered for legitimate users. The vulnerability exists because the web page generation process fails to properly neutralize or escape user-supplied input before incorporating it into dynamically generated HTML content, creating an environment where attacker-controlled data can be executed as scripts within the victim's browser context. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous as it requires no authentication and can be exploited through standard web requests, making it accessible to anyone with network access to the affected systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including session hijacking, data theft, redirection to malicious sites, and privilege escalation within the affected applications. The vulnerability's presence in multiple product versions indicates a systemic issue in the input validation and output encoding mechanisms across different Fortinet products, potentially affecting organizations that deploy these security solutions for network protection, web filtering, and application delivery. Organizations relying on these products for their security infrastructure face significant risk as attackers can exploit this vulnerability to compromise user sessions, steal sensitive information, or gain unauthorized access to administrative functions within the affected systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-41330 should prioritize immediate patching of all affected Fortinet products to the latest available versions that contain the necessary security fixes. Organizations must also implement network-level protections such as web application firewalls and input validation rules that can detect and block malicious GET requests before they reach the vulnerable application components. The remediation process should include comprehensive vulnerability scanning across all network segments where affected Fortinet products are deployed, followed by verification that the patches have been successfully applied and that no residual vulnerabilities remain. Additionally, security teams should conduct thorough testing of patched systems to ensure that the security updates do not introduce compatibility issues or disrupt existing network operations. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through web application attacks and T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter usage, highlighting the multi-layered attack surface that organizations must address through both perimeter defenses and application-level protections.