A recent security vulnerability (CVE-2023-48788) discovered in Fortinet FortiClientEMS highlights the risk of an SQL Injection attack. This vulnerability affects FortiClientEMS versions 7.2. to 7.2.2 and 7..1 to 7..10. This long-read post will discuss the details of this vulnerability, provide code snippets to illustrate its impact, and share links to original references. Additionally, this post will explain the potential risks associated with this security flaw, including the unauthorized execution of code or commands by an attacker, and offer guidance on the necessary actions needed to mitigate this threat.

Vulnerability Details

The security vulnerability in Fortinet FortiClientEMS (CVE-2023-48788) occurs due to improper neutralization of special elements in SQL commands. This allows a potential attacker to execute unauthorized code or commands by sending specially crafted packets to the vulnerable system. Essentially, an attacker could exploit this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to the FortiClientEMS system, potentially hijacking user sessions or exfiltrating sensitive information.

The following code snippet illustrates how such an SQL Injection could be performed

--Attacker Sends a Specially Crafted Packet
SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = 'admin' AND password = '' OR '1'='1'; --'

In this example, the attacker injects an SQL command that allows them to bypass the password check for the 'admin' account by adding the conditional expression '1'='1'. Essentially, this vulnerability would enable an attacker to gain unauthorized access to the system without needing a valid password.

Identify the vulnerable version of Fortinet FortiClientEMS running on the target system.

2. Craft a specially designed packet containing malicious SQL commands. This could be achieved by modifying the data entered in an application form or by intercepting and altering network traffic.

Send the malicious packet to the target system.

4. Upon successful exploitation, the attacker can execute arbitrary code or commands, potentially compromising the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system.

1. CVE Details: CVE-2023-48788 - Fortinet FortiClientEMS SQL Injection
2. National Vulnerability Database: CVE-2023-48788
3. Fortinet Security Advisory: FG-IR-21-NNN - FortiClientEMS SQL Injection

Fortinet has released updates to address this vulnerability. It is highly recommended that users of the affected FortiClientEMS versions follow these steps to mitigate the threat posed by this SQL Injection vulnerability:

1. Review your current FortiClientEMS system and determine if you are running one of the affected versions (7.2. to 7.2.2 or 7..1 to 7..10).
2. If your system is running one of these versions, promptly update to the latest FortiClientEMS release.

Conclusion

The CVE-2023-48788 SQL Injection vulnerability in Fortinet FortiClientEMS presents potential threats to system security and data integrity. It is crucial to take immediate action to update affected software versions and implement preventative measures to protect your organization's information systems and reduce the risk of unauthorized access. By following the recommended actions outlined in this post, you can safeguard your system from the exploitation of this vulnerability.

Timeline

Published on: 03/12/2024 15:15:46 UTC
Last modified on: 03/19/2024 08:15:06 UTC