CVE-2023-26205 is an improper access control vulnerability (CWE-284) affecting Fortinet's FortiADC product, specifically its automation feature across versions 6.1.x, 6.2.x, 7.0.x, and 7.1.0 through 7.1.2. The flaw resides in the fabric automation CLI script configuration, which does not adequately restrict access rights, allowing a low-privileged authenticated user to escalate privileges to super_admin. This escalation occurs through crafting specific configurations that exploit the automation feature's insufficient access checks. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network without requiring user interaction, making it a significant risk in environments where FortiADC management interfaces are accessible. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.9, reflecting high impact on confidentiality and integrity but no impact on availability. The exploitability is facilitated by low attack complexity and low privileges required, though authentication is necessary. No public exploits or active exploitation have been reported yet, but the potential for misuse is substantial given the control gained by an attacker. FortiADC is widely used for application delivery and load balancing, often in critical network infrastructure, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations relying on Fortinet products for secure traffic management.

The primary impact of CVE-2023-26205 is the unauthorized escalation of privileges from a low-privileged authenticated user to super_admin on FortiADC devices. This level of access allows attackers to fully control the device, modify configurations, intercept or redirect network traffic, and potentially disrupt application delivery services. For European organizations, this could lead to significant breaches of confidentiality and integrity, especially in sectors such as finance, telecommunications, government, and critical infrastructure where FortiADC is deployed. The compromise of FortiADC devices could facilitate lateral movement within networks, data exfiltration, or persistent access. Although availability impact is not directly indicated, misconfiguration or malicious changes could indirectly cause service disruptions. The risk is heightened if management interfaces are exposed to untrusted networks or if weak authentication mechanisms are in place. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently limits immediate widespread impact, but the vulnerability's characteristics suggest it could be targeted in future attacks.

1. Apply official patches from Fortinet as soon as they are released for affected FortiADC versions to remediate the vulnerability. 2. Restrict access to FortiADC management and automation interfaces using network segmentation, firewalls, and VPNs to limit exposure to trusted administrators only. 3. Enforce strong authentication mechanisms, including multi-factor authentication, for all users accessing FortiADC devices. 4. Audit and monitor automation scripts and configurations regularly to detect unauthorized or suspicious changes indicative of exploitation attempts. 5. Implement strict role-based access controls (RBAC) to minimize privileges granted to users and reduce the attack surface. 6. Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focused on FortiADC deployments to identify potential weaknesses. 7. Maintain comprehensive logging and alerting on administrative actions to enable rapid detection and response to privilege escalation attempts. 8. Educate administrators on secure configuration practices and the risks associated with automation features.