CVE-2021-41026 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A relative path traversal vulnerability in FortiWeb versions 6.4.1, 6.4.0, and 6.3.0 through 6.3.15 allows an authenticated attacker to retrieve arbitrary files from the underlying file system.

Understanding CVE-2021-41026

This CVE involves a relative path traversal vulnerability in FortiWeb, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive files.

What is CVE-2021-41026?

This CVE describes a security issue in FortiWeb versions 6.3.0 through 6.4.1 that may be exploited by an authenticated attacker to access files through web requests.

The Impact of CVE-2021-41026

The vulnerability can result in high confidentiality impact, allowing an attacker to access potentially sensitive files on the system.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-41026

This section provides more technical insights into the vulnerability in FortiWeb.

Vulnerability Description

A relative path traversal bug in FortiWeb allows attackers to access unauthorized files on the filesystem by manipulating web requests.

Affected Systems and Versions

Fortinet FortiWeb 6.4.1
Fortinet FortiWeb 6.4.0
Fortinet FortiWeb 6.3.0 through 6.3.15

Exploitation Mechanism

Attack Complexity: Low
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: None
Confidentiality Impact: High

Mitigation and Prevention

Steps to address and prevent exploitation of the CVE.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply patches provided by Fortinet as soon as they are available.
Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activities.
Implement least privilege access control.

Long-Term Security Practices

Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing.
Educate users about phishing and social engineering tactics.
Keep systems and software up to date with the latest security patches.

Patching and Updates

Ensure FortiWeb is updated to the latest version to mitigate the vulnerability.