CVE-2023-5451 in Next Generation Firewall Security Management Center
Summary
by MITRE • 03/04/2024
Forcepoint NGFW Security Management Center Management Server has SMC Downloads optional feature to offer standalone Management Client downloads and ECA configuration downloads.
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall Security Management Center (SMC Downloads feature) allows Reflected XSS.
This issue affects Next Generation Firewall Security Management Center : before 6.10.13, from 6.11.0 before 7.1.2.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/15/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-5451 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall Security Management Center's SMC Downloads feature. This weakness specifically manifests in the management server's handling of user input during web page generation processes, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject and execute arbitrary script code within the context of affected user sessions. The vulnerability exists in the optional standalone Management Client downloads and ECA configuration downloads functionality, which forms part of the broader security management infrastructure. The flaw enables reflected cross-site scripting attacks where malicious payloads are delivered through crafted input parameters that are then reflected back to users in the application's response, making this a particularly dangerous vulnerability given the administrative nature of the affected system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the SMC Downloads feature's web interface components. When users interact with the download functionality, the system fails to properly sanitize user-supplied parameters before incorporating them into dynamically generated web pages. This improper neutralization creates a pathway for attackers to craft malicious input that, when processed by the server, gets executed in the victim's browser context. The vulnerability affects specific version ranges including all releases before 6.10.13 and versions from 6.11.0 through 7.1.1, indicating that this flaw has persisted across multiple major releases of the Forcepoint NGFW Security Management Center platform. The reflected nature of the XSS attack means that malicious scripts are executed immediately when users click on specially crafted links or interact with the vulnerable download functionality.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized access to the management console. Given that the affected system serves as the central management interface for Next Generation Firewalls, successful exploitation could allow threat actors to modify firewall policies, access sensitive network configurations, or even redirect traffic through maliciously configured rules. The vulnerability's presence in the download feature makes it particularly dangerous as users frequently interact with these components during routine administrative tasks, increasing the attack surface and potential exposure. Organizations utilizing Forcepoint NGFW Security Management Center in environments with sensitive network infrastructure face significant risk, as this vulnerability could be exploited to compromise the entire security posture of the network perimeter.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches for versions 6.10.13 and 7.1.2, which address the input validation deficiencies in the SMC Downloads feature. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure of the management interface to trusted administrative networks only. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and content security policies can provide additional layers of protection against reflected XSS attacks. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and follows patterns commonly associated with ATT&CK technique T1212 which involves exploitation of software vulnerabilities to gain access to privileged systems. Regular security assessments of administrative interfaces and input validation testing should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other components of the security infrastructure.