CVE-2024-26013 in FortiProxy
Summary
by MITRE • 04/08/2025
A improper restriction of communication channel to intended endpoints vulnerability [CWE-923] in Fortinet FortiOS version 7.4.0 through 7.4.4, 7.2.0 through 7.2.8, 7.0.0 through 7.0.15, 6.4.0 through 6.4.15 and before 6.2.16, Fortinet FortiProxy version 7.4.0 through 7.4.2, 7.2.0 through 7.2.9 and before 7.0.15, Fortinet FortiManager version 7.4.0 through 7.4.2, 7.2.0 through 7.2.4, 7.0.0 through 7.0.11, 6.4.0 through 6.4.14 and before 6.2.13, Fortinet FortiAnalyzer version 7.4.0 through 7.4.2, 7.2.0 through 7.2.4, 7.0.0 through 7.0.11, 6.4.0 through 6.4.14 and before 6.2.13, Fortinet FortiVoice version 7.0.0 through 7.0.2 before 6.4.8 and Fortinet FortiWeb before 7.4.2 may allow an unauthenticated attacker in a man-in-the-middle position to impersonate the management device (FortiCloud server or/and in certain conditions, FortiManager), via intercepting the FGFM authentication request between the management device and the managed device
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/25/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical weakness in Fortinet's network security infrastructure affecting multiple product lines including FortiOS, FortiProxy, FortiManager, FortiAnalyzer, FortiVoice, and FortiWeb. The flaw stems from improper restriction of communication channels to intended endpoints, classified under CWE-923 which specifically addresses the failure to properly control communication between devices. This vulnerability exists in versions ranging from 6.2.16 through 7.4.4 across all affected Fortinet products, creating a persistent security gap that has remained unpatched for several major releases. The core issue manifests when an unauthenticated attacker positioned in a man-in-the-middle role can intercept FGFM (Fortinet Gateway Framework Management) authentication requests between management devices and their managed counterparts, effectively enabling impersonation of critical infrastructure components.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the interception of authentication communications that should remain secure between management devices such as FortiCloud servers or FortiManager instances and the managed devices they control. When an attacker successfully intercepts these FGFM authentication requests, they can potentially establish unauthorized communication channels that appear legitimate to the managed devices. This misconfiguration allows attackers to manipulate the communication flow and potentially gain administrative access to the managed devices, effectively compromising the entire security posture of the network infrastructure. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects the fundamental trust mechanisms that govern how management and managed devices communicate within Fortinet's ecosystem.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, creating a comprehensive threat vector that can lead to complete compromise of network security infrastructure. Attackers can leverage this weakness to impersonate management devices, potentially gaining control over multiple managed devices simultaneously, which could result in widespread network disruption, data exfiltration, or complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects critical security components that are foundational to network management, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that rely heavily on Fortinet's security infrastructure for their network operations. This weakness essentially undermines the trust model that security administrators depend upon when managing their network infrastructure through centralized management platforms.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to isolate management interfaces from untrusted networks, deployment of network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous communication patterns, and enforcement of strict access controls on management interfaces. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing proper network hygiene practices that include regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing. Organizations should consider implementing additional authentication mechanisms and network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol: DNS and T1566.001 for credential harvesting through man-in-the-middle attacks, making it a significant concern for organizations following standard security frameworks and threat modeling practices.