CVE-2024-48884: Fortinet FortiManager Path Traversal Flaw

CVE-2024-48884 Overview

CVE-2024-48884 is a critical path traversal vulnerability affecting multiple Fortinet products including FortiManager, FortiOS, FortiProxy, FortiRecorder, FortiVoice, and FortiWeb. This improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory (CWE-22) allows remote attackers to perform unauthorized file operations on vulnerable systems.

The vulnerability presents two distinct attack scenarios: a remote authenticated attacker with access to the security fabric interface and port can write arbitrary files to the system, while a remote unauthenticated attacker can delete arbitrary folders. Both attack vectors pose significant risks to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of affected Fortinet infrastructure.

Critical Impact

Remote unauthenticated attackers can delete arbitrary folders, while authenticated attackers can write arbitrary files to affected Fortinet devices, potentially leading to complete system compromise or denial of service.

Affected Products

• Fortinet FortiManager 7.6.0 through 7.6.1, 7.4.1 through 7.4.3
• Fortinet FortiManager Cloud 7.4.1 through 7.4.3
• Fortinet FortiOS 7.6.0, 7.4.0 through 7.4.4, 7.2.0 through 7.2.9, 7.0.0 through 7.0.15, 6.4.0 through 6.4.15
• Fortinet FortiProxy 7.4.0 through 7.4.5, 7.2.0 through 7.2.11, 7.0.0 through 7.0.18, 2.0 all versions, 1.2 all versions, 1.1 all versions, 1.0 all versions
• Fortinet FortiRecorder (multiple versions affected)
• Fortinet FortiVoice (multiple versions affected)
• Fortinet FortiWeb (including 7.6.0)

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-01-14 - CVE-2024-48884 published to NVD
• 2026-01-14 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-48884

Vulnerability Analysis

This path traversal vulnerability exists within the security fabric interface of multiple Fortinet products. The flaw stems from insufficient validation of user-supplied path components, allowing attackers to escape the intended directory structure using path manipulation sequences such as ../ or similar constructs.

The dual nature of this vulnerability is particularly concerning. An authenticated attacker who has access to the security fabric interface can leverage the path traversal to write arbitrary files to locations outside the intended directory. This could enable deployment of malicious configurations, backdoors, or overwriting critical system files. Conversely, an unauthenticated attacker can exploit the vulnerability to delete arbitrary folders, which could result in denial of service, loss of configuration data, or disruption of security monitoring capabilities.

The network-based attack vector combined with no user interaction requirements makes this vulnerability easily exploitable across enterprise environments where Fortinet devices are deployed at network boundaries.

Root Cause

The vulnerability is classified under CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory), commonly known as path traversal. The root cause lies in insufficient sanitization of file path inputs within the security fabric interface. When processing file operations, the affected components fail to properly validate and canonicalize user-supplied path parameters, allowing attackers to traverse outside the intended directory boundaries.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and can be executed remotely. For the arbitrary file write functionality, an attacker requires authentication credentials with access to the security fabric interface and port. However, the arbitrary folder deletion attack vector requires no authentication, significantly lowering the barrier to exploitation.

An attacker would craft malicious requests containing path traversal sequences (such as ../) to navigate outside the restricted directory structure. For the file write scenario, the attacker would include malicious content to be written to a target location. For the folder deletion scenario, the attacker would specify a target folder path that, when combined with traversal sequences, points to a critical system or configuration directory.

The vulnerability affects the security fabric interface, which is typically used for inter-device communication and management in Fortinet deployments. Organizations exposing this interface to untrusted networks face heightened risk.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-48884

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected file modifications or new files appearing in system directories outside normal Fortinet operational paths
• Missing configuration folders or unexpected deletion of critical directories on Fortinet devices
• Anomalous HTTP requests to the security fabric interface containing path traversal sequences (../, ..%2f, %2e%2e/)
• Authentication failures followed by successful folder deletions in system logs

Detection Strategies

• Monitor security fabric interface traffic for requests containing path traversal patterns including URL-encoded variants
• Implement file integrity monitoring (FIM) on critical Fortinet device directories to detect unauthorized modifications
• Review access logs for the security fabric interface, focusing on requests with unusual path components
• Deploy network intrusion detection signatures that identify path traversal attempts targeting Fortinet devices

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging on all Fortinet devices and centralize logs to a SIEM platform for correlation analysis
• Configure alerts for any directory deletion or file write operations outside expected paths on Fortinet infrastructure
• Monitor network traffic patterns to the security fabric interface for anomalous request volumes or unexpected source IPs
• Regularly audit file system state on Fortinet devices to establish baselines and detect deviations

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-48884

Immediate Actions Required

• Review the Fortinet PSIRT Advisory FG-IR-24-259 for product-specific patch versions and apply updates immediately
• Restrict network access to the security fabric interface to trusted management networks only using firewall rules or access control lists
• Implement strong authentication and access controls for the security fabric interface where available
• Audit current configurations and verify integrity of critical system directories on all affected Fortinet devices

Patch Information

Fortinet has released security updates addressing CVE-2024-48884 across the affected product lines. Organizations should consult the Fortinet PSIRT Advisory FG-IR-24-259 for specific patched versions for each affected product. Given the critical severity rating and the potential for unauthenticated exploitation, immediate patching is strongly recommended.

Upgrade to the following minimum versions (or later) as specified in the Fortinet advisory:

• FortiManager: Upgrade beyond 7.6.1 or 7.4.3 as applicable
• FortiOS: Upgrade beyond 7.6.0, 7.4.4, 7.2.9, 7.0.15, or 6.4.15 as applicable
• FortiProxy: Upgrade beyond 7.4.5, 7.2.11, or 7.0.18 as applicable; migrate from end-of-life versions 2.0.x, 1.2.x, 1.1.x, and 1.0.x

Workarounds

• Implement network segmentation to isolate the security fabric interface from untrusted networks and limit exposure
• Configure access control lists (ACLs) to restrict connectivity to the security fabric interface to authorized management hosts only
• Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) or intrusion prevention system (IPS) with rules to block path traversal patterns targeting Fortinet devices
• Monitor and log all access attempts to the security fabric interface for security review while awaiting patch deployment

# Example: Restrict security fabric interface access via FortiOS CLI
# Consult Fortinet documentation for your specific version
config system interface
    edit "fabric"
        set allowaccess ping https ssh
        set trusthost 10.0.0.0 255.0.0.0
    next
end