CVE-2024-33503 in FortiManager
Summary
by MITRE • 01/14/2025
A improper privilege management in Fortinet FortiManager version 7.4.0 through 7.4.3, 7.2.0 through 7.2.5, 7.0.0 through 7.0.12, 6.4.0 through 6.4.14, FortiAnalyzer version 7.4.0 through 7.4.2, 7.2.0 through 7.2.5, 7.0.0 through 7.0.12, 6.4.0 through 6.4.14 allows attacker to escalation of privilege via specific shell commands
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/01/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-33503 represents a critical improper privilege management flaw affecting multiple Fortinet FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer versions across several release branches. This vulnerability stems from inadequate access control mechanisms that permit unauthorized users to escalate their privileges through the execution of specific shell commands. The affected versions span across FortiManager 7.4.0 through 7.4.3, 7.2.0 through 7.2.5, 7.0.0 through 7.0.12, and 6.4.0 through 6.4.14, as well as corresponding FortiAnalyzer versions within the same release cycles. The flaw exists in the privilege management system where legitimate shell commands are improperly validated or restricted, allowing attackers to execute elevated operations that should be restricted to administrative users only. This misconfiguration creates a path for privilege escalation that can be exploited by attackers who have gained initial access to the system through other means.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of shell command execution pathways within the Fortinet security appliances. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting specific shell commands that bypass normal privilege checks and execute with elevated permissions. The vulnerability operates at the command execution level where standard user accounts can potentially invoke administrative shell functions through flawed input validation or insufficient privilege verification mechanisms. This weakness enables attackers to perform operations such as modifying system configurations, accessing restricted data, or executing commands that should be limited to privileged users only. The flaw essentially creates a backdoor pathway within the normal access control framework that allows for unauthorized privilege elevation without proper authentication or authorization checks.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-33503 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it can lead to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive network infrastructure data. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can gain administrative control over the FortiManager or FortiAnalyzer appliances, potentially compromising the entire network security posture managed by these devices. The consequences include unauthorized configuration changes that could disable security features, data exfiltration from sensitive network monitoring systems, and the ability to manipulate security policies that protect the organization's network infrastructure. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely heavily on Fortinet's security appliances for network monitoring and management, as it provides a direct path to compromise critical security infrastructure that typically requires administrative access to modify.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches released by Fortinet to address the privilege management flaw. Network segmentation should be enforced to limit access to these critical appliances to only authorized personnel, while monitoring systems should be enhanced to detect unusual shell command execution patterns. The implementation of principle of least privilege should be strictly enforced, ensuring that users have only the minimum permissions required for their operational functions. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any potential exploitation attempts and establish robust audit trails for all administrative command executions. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing additional layers of authentication and authorization controls to reduce the attack surface and prevent unauthorized access to these critical network management systems.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which describes improper privilege management, and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers privilege escalation through exploitation of system vulnerabilities. The flaw represents a significant security gap that allows for unauthorized elevation of privileges through shell command manipulation, directly violating fundamental security principles of access control and privilege separation. Organizations should treat this vulnerability as a high-priority threat that requires immediate attention and remediation to prevent potential compromise of their network security infrastructure.