CVE-2020-7041 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

An issue was discovered in openfortivpn 1.11.0 when used with OpenSSL 1.0.2 or later. The vulnerability in tunnel.c mishandles certificate validation, leading to potential security risks.

Understanding CVE-2020-7041

This CVE identifies a specific vulnerability in openfortivpn that affects the certificate validation process when used with certain versions of OpenSSL.

What is CVE-2020-7041?

The vulnerability arises due to incorrect handling of X509_check_host negative error codes, which are mistakenly interpreted as successful validation, potentially allowing malicious actors to bypass certificate checks.

The Impact of CVE-2020-7041

The vulnerability could be exploited by attackers to deceive the certificate validation process, leading to unauthorized access or man-in-the-middle attacks.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-7041

This section provides more in-depth technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The issue in openfortivpn 1.11.0 allows X509_check_host negative error codes to be treated as successful, compromising the certificate validation process.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: openfortivpn
Vendor: N/A
Versions: 1.11.0

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by manipulating X509_check_host negative error codes to bypass certificate validation, potentially leading to unauthorized access.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2020-7041 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update openfortivpn to a patched version that addresses the certificate validation issue.
Monitor network traffic for any signs of unauthorized access.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and dependencies to prevent known vulnerabilities.
Implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potential attacks.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that all systems running openfortivpn are regularly patched with the latest updates to mitigate the risk of exploitation.