CVE-2023-41677 in FortiOS
Summary
by MITRE • 04/09/2024
A insufficiently protected credentials in Fortinet FortiProxy 7.4.0, 7.2.0 through 7.2.6, 7.0.0 through 7.0.12, 2.0.0 through 2.0.13, 1.2.0 through 1.2.13, 1.1.0 through 1.1.6, 1.0.0 through 1.0.7, Fortinet FortiOS 7.4.0 through 7.4.1, 7.2.0 through 7.2.6, 7.0.0 through 7.0.12, 6.4.0 through 6.4.14, 6.2.0 through 6.2.15, 6.0.0 through 6.0.17 allows attacker to execute unauthorized code or commands via targeted social engineering attack
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/07/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-41677 represents a critical weakness in Fortinet's FortiProxy and FortiOS platforms that stems from insufficiently protected credentials within the authentication mechanisms. This flaw affects multiple versions across different product lines including FortiProxy 7.4.0, 7.2.0 through 7.2.6, 7.0.0 through 7.0.12, and various older releases, alongside FortiOS versions from 7.4.0 through 7.4.1, 7.2.0 through 7.2.6, 7.0.0 through 7.0.12, 6.4.0 through 6.4.14, 6.2.0 through 6.2.15, and 6.0.0 through 6.0.17. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-521 Weak Password Requirements, which directly relates to inadequate credential protection measures that fail to enforce strong authentication policies.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through targeted social engineering attacks that manipulate users into providing credentials or executing malicious commands. Attackers can leverage this weakness to gain unauthorized access to the affected systems and potentially execute arbitrary code or commands with elevated privileges. The nature of the attack vector indicates that the vulnerability does not require direct network access or sophisticated technical skills beyond the ability to craft convincing social engineering campaigns. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through human interaction rather than purely technical means, aligning with the ATT&CK framework's initial access techniques that emphasize social engineering and credential access.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-41677 extends beyond simple unauthorized access to include potential full system compromise and data exfiltration. Organizations using affected Fortinet products face significant risk of unauthorized code execution, which could lead to complete system takeover, persistence mechanisms establishment, and lateral movement within network environments. The vulnerability affects both proxy and firewall functionalities, potentially compromising network traffic interception capabilities and security policy enforcement. The widespread affected versions across multiple Fortinet product lines indicate that organizations may have multiple vulnerable endpoints throughout their infrastructure, increasing the attack surface and potential impact of exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of all affected Fortinet products to the latest available versions that contain security fixes. Organizations must implement robust credential management policies including strong password requirements, multi-factor authentication, and regular credential rotation procedures. Network segmentation and monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's reliance on social engineering components necessitates comprehensive security awareness training for all personnel to recognize and report suspicious activities. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any potential exploitation attempts and implement network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious command execution patterns that could indicate successful exploitation of this credential weakness.