CVE-2022-39948 : Security Advisory and Response

This article provides insights into CVE-2022-39948, an improper certificate validation vulnerability affecting FortiOS and FortiProxy systems.

Understanding CVE-2022-39948

CVE-2022-39948 is an improper certificate validation vulnerability found in FortiOS and FortiProxy products, potentially enabling remote attackers to execute Man-in-the-Middle attacks on communication channels.

What is CVE-2022-39948?

The vulnerability resides in versions 7.2.0 through 7.2.3, 7.0.0 through 7.0.7, 6.4, 6.2, and 6.0 of FortiOS, and versions 7.0.0 through 7.0.6, 2.0, and 1.2 of FortiProxy.

The Impact of CVE-2022-39948

This vulnerability could allow unauthenticated remote attackers to intercept and manipulate communications between FortiOS/FortiProxy devices and threat feed servers, leading to potential information disclosure.

Technical Details of CVE-2022-39948

The specifics of the vulnerability are as follows:

Vulnerability Description

An improper certificate validation flaw could be exploited by threat actors to perform Man-in-the-Middle attacks on the affected systems.

Affected Systems and Versions

FortiOS versions 7.2.0 - 7.2.3, 7.0.0 - 7.0.7, 6.4.x, 6.2.x, 6.0.x, and FortiProxy versions 7.0.0 - 7.0.6, 2.0.x, 1.2.x are impacted.

Exploitation Mechanism

Remote and unauthenticated attackers could exploit this vulnerability to breach the communication integrity between systems.

Mitigation and Prevention

To secure your systems against CVE-2022-39948, consider the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade to FortiProxy version 7.2.0 or above, FortiProxy version 7.0.7 or above, FortiOS version 7.2.4 or above, and FortiOS version 7.0.8 or above.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly apply security patches and updates to ensure system protection.

Patching and Updates

Keep FortiOS and FortiProxy systems updated with the latest security patches to address known vulnerabilities.