CVE-2023-26205 : What You Need to Know

This CVE-2023-26205 article provides insights into a critical vulnerability identified in Fortinet's FortiADC product.

Understanding CVE-2023-26205

The CVE-2023-26205 vulnerability is an improper access control issue in the FortiADC automation feature, affecting specific versions of the product. This vulnerability could potentially allow a low-privileged authenticated attacker to escalate their privileges to super_admin through a specially crafted configuration of fabric automation CLI script.

What is CVE-2023-26205?

CVE-2023-26205 is classified as an escalation of privilege vulnerability (CWE-284) within FortiADC devices, impacting certain versions of the product.

The Impact of CVE-2023-26205

The impact of CVE-2023-26205 is rated as high severity, with a CVSS base score of 7.9 out of 10. The confidentiality and integrity of affected systems are at risk, with a low level of privileges required to exploit the vulnerability. The attack complexity is considered low.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-26205

This section delves into the specific technical aspects of the CVE-2023-26205 vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from an improper access control flaw in the FortiADC automation feature, present in versions 7.1.0 through 7.1.2, all versions of 7.0, 6.2, and 6.1. An attacker with low privileges could leverage this flaw to escalate their permissions to super_admin using a meticulously crafted fabric automation CLI script.

Affected Systems and Versions

The following FortiADC versions are affected by CVE-2023-26205:

FortiADC 7.1.0 to 7.1.2
FortiADC 7.0.0 to 7.0.5
FortiADC 6.2.0 to 6.2.6
FortiADC 6.1.0 to 6.1.6

Exploitation Mechanism

An authenticated low-privileged attacker can exploit this vulnerability by manipulating the fabric automation CLI script in a specific manner, allowing them to elevate their privileges to super_admin within the affected FortiADC versions.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address the CVE-2023-26205 vulnerability, Fortinet has provided the following solutions:

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade to FortiADC version 7.2.0 or above
Upgrade to FortiADC version 7.1.3 or above

Long-Term Security Practices

It is crucial to maintain good security practices, such as implementing the principle of least privilege, regular security assessments, and monitoring for any unusual activity on FortiADC devices.

Patching and Updates

Regularly applying security patches and updates provided by Fortinet is essential to mitigate the risk of CVE-2023-26205 exploitation and ensure the overall security posture of FortiADC deployments.