CVE-2023-29179: Null Pointer Dereference in Fortinet FortiOS and FortiProxy Leads to Denial of Service

CVE-2023-29179 is a recently discovered security vulnerability that affects various versions of Fortinet's FortiOS and FortiProxy software. This vulnerability, categorized as a null pointer dereference, can be exploited by an attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) through specially crafted HTTP requests. In this blog post, we will be discussing the details of the vulnerability, including its impact, affected versions, and possible mitigation strategies.

Vulnerability Details

A null pointer dereference vulnerability exists in certain versions of Fortinet's FortiOS and FortiProxy software. When processing specially crafted HTTP requests, the software attempts to access a memory location that has not been initialized, leading to a crash of the system.

The following code snippet outlines the issue

...
if (http_request != NULL) {
    process_http_request(http_request);
} else {
    // Null pointer dereference occurs here
    process_http_request(NULL);
}
...

Fortinet FortiProxy version 7.. through 7..10

It is essential to note that no known public exploits for this vulnerability are currently available. Therefore, the risk of this vulnerability being immediately exploited is relatively low. However, this does not mean that systems running the affected versions of the software should not be patched.

Mitigating the Vulnerability

Fortinet has released software updates to address CVE-2023-29179. Users are advised to upgrade their FortiOS and FortiProxy software to the latest available versions. The patches for the affected software versions can be found at the following links:

- Fortinet FortiOS Software Updates
- Fortinet FortiProxy Software Updates

In addition to applying the software updates, users can take several precautions to minimize the potential impact of this vulnerability. These include the following:

Conclusion

By understanding CVE-2023-29179 and the implications of a null pointer dereference vulnerability, users of Fortinet's FortiOS and FortiProxy software can take appropriate steps to protect their systems. By applying the necessary software updates and implementing additional security measures, the risk of a successful exploit can be greatly reduced.

Timeline

Published on: 02/22/2024 10:15:07 UTC
Last modified on: 02/22/2024 19:07:27 UTC