CVE-2021-44172 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

A vulnerability in FortiClientEMS exposes sensitive information to unauthorized actors, potentially compromising system security.

Understanding CVE-2021-44172

What is CVE-2021-44172?

The CVE-2021-44172 vulnerability pertains to FortiClientEMS versions 7.0.0 through 7.0.7, as well as all 6.4 and 6.2 versions, allowing unauthenticated attackers to access environment variables, including the EMS installation path.

The Impact of CVE-2021-44172

This vulnerability may result in the unauthorized disclosure of critical system information, posing a security risk to affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-44172

Vulnerability Description

FortiClientEMS versions 7.0.0 through 7.0.7, as well as all 6.4 and 6.2 versions, are susceptible to an information disclosure vulnerability, enabling unauthenticated attackers to gain access to sensitive environment data.

Affected Systems and Versions

FortiClientEMS 7.0.0 to 7.0.7
FortiClientEMS 6.4.0 to 6.4.9
FortiClientEMS 6.2.0 to 6.2.9

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers without authentication can exploit this vulnerability to extract significant information, compromising system integrity.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade to FortiClientEMS version 7.0.8 or above
Ensure sensitive information is not stored in plain text

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and systems to prevent vulnerabilities
Implement strong authentication mechanisms to restrict unauthorized access

Patching and Updates

Users are strongly advised to upgrade to FortiClientEMS version 7.2.0 or higher to eliminate the vulnerability.