CVE-2023-26208 : Security Advisory and Response

This CVE record for Fortinet FortiAuthenticator highlights a vulnerability that could be exploited by a remote unauthenticated attacker to disrupt the target system's CPU and memory by flooding it with HTTP requests.

Understanding CVE-2023-26208

This section delves deeper into the specifics of CVE-2023-26208.

What is CVE-2023-26208?

The vulnerability identified in CVE-2023-26208 is an improper restriction of excessive authentication attempts in Fortinet FortiAuthenticator 6.4.x and prior versions. It allows a remote unauthenticated attacker to degrade the performance of the target system by overwhelming it with multiple HTTP requests to the login form.

The Impact of CVE-2023-26208

The impact of this vulnerability can lead to partial CPU and memory exhaustion on the affected system, potentially causing a denial of service situation. However, the confidentiality and integrity of the system remain intact, and the privileges required for exploitation are none.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-26208

This section provides a technical overview of CVE-2023-26208.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in Fortinet FortiAuthenticator is categorized under CWE-307 - Denial of Service. It arises due to the improper handling of excessive authentication attempts, allowing unauthorized remote attackers to disrupt system performance.

Affected Systems and Versions

The affected versions of FortiAuthenticator include 6.4.0 to 6.4.6, 6.3.0 to 6.3.3, 6.2.0 to 6.2.1, 6.1.0 to 6.1.2, and 6.0.0 to 6.0.7.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers exploit this vulnerability by flooding the FortiAuthenticator login form with numerous HTTP requests, causing CPU and memory resources to be partially exhausted.

Mitigation and Prevention

In this section, we explore the steps to mitigate and prevent the exploitation of CVE-2023-26208.

Immediate Steps to Take

To address this vulnerability, it is recommended to upgrade FortiAuthenticator to version 6.5.0 or above. Additionally, upgrading to other relevant Fortinet products such as FortiDeceptor, FortiMail 6.4.1 or above, FortiMail 6.2.5 or above, and FortiMail 6.0.10 or above can enhance system security.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing strong network security measures, such as firewall configurations, intrusion detection systems, and regular security audits, can help in preventing similar vulnerabilities in the future.

Patching and Updates

Regularly applying security patches provided by Fortinet for FortiAuthenticator and related products is crucial to ensure that known vulnerabilities are addressed promptly and system security is maintained at optimal levels.