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New Fortinet RCE flaw in SSL VPN likely exploited in attacks. Fortinet is warning that a new critical remote code execution vulnerability in FortiOS SSL VPN is potentially being exploited in attacks. The flaw (tracked as CVE-2024-21762 / FG-IR-24-015) received a 9.6 severity rating and is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability in FortiOS that allows unauthenticated attackers to gain remote code execution (RCE) via maliciously crafted requests. To patch the bug, Fortinet recommends upgrading to one of the latest version based on this table: For those unable to apply patches, you can mitigate the flaw by disabling SSL VPN on your FortiOS devices. Fortinet's advisory does not provide any details on how the vulnerability is being exploited or who discovered the vulnerability. This flaw was disclosed today along with CVE-2024-23113 (Critical/9.8 rating), CVE-2023-44487 (Medium), and CVE-2023-47537 (Medium). However, these flaws are not marked as being exploited in the wild. Threat actors commonly target Fortinet flaws to breach corporate networks for ransomware attacks and cyber espionage. Yesterday, Fortinet disclosed that Chinese state-sponsored threat actors known as Volt Typhoon targeted FortiOS vulnerabilities to deploy custom malware known as COATHANGER. This malware is a custom remote access trojan (RAT) designed to infect Fortigate network security appliances and was recently found used in attacks on the Dutch Ministry of Defence. Due to the high severity of the newly disclosed CVE-2024-21762 flaw and the likelihood of it being exploited in attacks, it is strongly advised that you update your devices as soon as possible.

Daily Brief Summary

MALWARE // Urgent Warning for Critical RCE Vulnerability in FortiOS SSL VPN

Fortinet has discovered a critical remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability in their FortiOS SSL VPN, potentially already exploited by attackers.

The vulnerability, identified as CVE-2024-21762, allows unauthenticated attackers to remotely execute code through malicious requests.

Fortinet has issued a 9.6 severity rating for this vulnerability and advises users to upgrade to a patched version immediately to secure their systems.

As a temporary mitigation, disabling SSL VPN on FortiOS devices can help protect against this flaw if immediate patching is not possible.

No specifics have been provided about the nature of the exploitation or the identifying party for this vulnerability.

Other related flaws were disclosed, including a critical CVE-2024-23113 and two medium-severity CVEs, though they are not reported to be currently exploited.

Fortinet's previous disclosures include an attack by the Chinese state-sponsored threat group Volt Typhoon, utilizing another set of FortiOS vulnerabilities.

Organizations using Fortinet's products are urged to prioritize updates due to the high risk of targeted attacks leveraging these security weaknesses.