The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has issued an advisory regarding a critical vulnerability, CVE-2024-55591, impacting Fortinet’s FortiOS and FortiProxy products. This vulnerability is particularly severe, with a CVSS score of 9.6, signifying a critical risk to affected systems.
Impact of the Vulnerability
The vulnerability stems from an authentication bypass using an alternate path or channel (CWE-288). Exploiting this flaw allows a remote attacker to achieve super-admin privileges through carefully crafted requests directed to the Node.js WebSocket module. Once exploited, this could provide attackers with unrestricted access to critical systems and sensitive data.
Affected Versions
The following product versions are vulnerable:
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FortiOS
- Versions: 7.0.0 to 7.0.16
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FortiProxy
- Versions: 7.0.0 to 7.0.19
- Versions: 7.2.0 to 7.2.12
Recommendations
To mitigate this critical vulnerability, the NCSC strongly advises affected organisations to take immediate action:
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Update Vulnerable Systems - Install the latest security updates from Fortinet as a priority. Updates should only be applied after proper testing in your environment to minimize potential disruptions.
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Review Release Notes - Familiarise yourself with the details provided in the release notes accompanying the updates to ensure a smooth patching process.
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Investigate Indicators of Compromise (IoCs) - Proactively scan your systems for potential IoCs that could indicate malicious activity. Refer to resources provided by Fortinet for guidance.
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Consult Fortinet Resources - Detailed information, updates, and remediation guidance can be found at:
Reducing the Risk of Exploitation
Given the critical nature of CVE-2024-55591, organisations must act swiftly to secure their environments. Unpatched systems are at significant risk of compromise, potentially leading to unauthorised access, data breaches, or service disruptions.
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