CVE-2023-34990: Fortinet FortiWLM Path Traversal Flaw

CVE-2023-34990 Overview

A relative path traversal in Fortinet FortiWLM version 8.6.0 through 8.6.5 and 8.5.0 through 8.5.4 allows attacker to execute unauthorized code or commands via specially crafted web requests.

Critical Impact

This vulnerability can lead to unauthorized code execution with potential system-wide effects.

Affected Products

• Fortinet FortiWLM 8.6.0 to 8.6.5
• Fortinet FortiWLM 8.5.0 to 8.5.4
• Not Available

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-12-18 - CVE CVE-2023-34990 published to NVD
• 2025-06-05 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2023-34990

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is classified as a path traversal issue due to improper handling of input paths. It enables attackers to access restricted directories and execute arbitrary commands.

Root Cause

The root cause stems from insufficient validation of user-supplied paths, which permits directory traversal and command injection.

Attack Vector

The attack is executed over the network, exploiting vulnerable input fields in the web application to conduct path traversal.

// Example exploitation code (sanitized)
const request = require('request');
const payload = '/admin/../../../etc/passwd';

request(`http://target.com${payload}`, (error, response, body) => {
    if (!error && response.statusCode === 200) {
        console.log('Exploit successful');
    }
});

Detection Methods for CVE-2023-34990

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual access logs to system files
• Execution of unexpected system commands
• Presence of unauthorized shell access

Detection Strategies

Utilize web application firewalls (WAFs) to monitor and block suspicious requests matching path traversal patterns. Alert on retrieval attempts of sensitive files such as /etc/passwd or system binaries.

Monitoring Recommendations

Regularly review access logs for unusual file access patterns and unexpected command execution logs that could indicate exploitation attempts.

How to Mitigate CVE-2023-34990

Immediate Actions Required

• Apply the latest security patch from Fortinet
• Implement input validation for all web application inputs
• Monitor network traffic for irregular patterns

Patch Information

Fortinet has released a patch to address this vulnerability. Users are urged to update to the latest version immediately. Refer to Vendor Advisory for detailed instructions.

Workarounds

While a patch is applied, configure web server rules to deny requests containing path traversal strings. Strengthen input validation mechanisms to sanitize user inputs effectively.

# Configuration example
deny <insert traversal patterns>;