CVE-2024-32122 is a vulnerability identified in Fortinet's FortiOS operating system versions 6.4.x through 7.4.8, including all versions of 7.0 and 7.2. The issue arises from FortiOS storing passwords in a recoverable format, which is a poor security practice that can lead to information disclosure. The vulnerability can be exploited when an attacker with high-level privileges modifies the LDAP server IP address configuration within FortiOS to point to a malicious LDAP server controlled by the attacker. This redirection allows the attacker to intercept or capture authentication credentials or related sensitive information during LDAP communication. The attack vector requires local access with privileged rights (PR:H), no user interaction (UI:N), and is considered low impact on confidentiality (C:L), with no impact on integrity or availability. The CVSS vector indicates low complexity (AC:L) but limited scope (S:U) and a low overall score of 2.1. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, and no patches are currently linked, suggesting that Fortinet may still be working on remediation. The vulnerability primarily affects the confidentiality of stored credentials and LDAP authentication processes, which could lead to credential compromise if exploited. This issue highlights the risk of insecure password storage combined with configuration manipulation in network security appliances.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-32122 is primarily the potential exposure of sensitive authentication credentials stored within FortiOS devices. If exploited, attackers with administrative access could redirect LDAP authentication traffic to malicious servers, potentially capturing user credentials or other sensitive information. This could lead to unauthorized access to internal systems, lateral movement within networks, and compromise of sensitive data. However, the requirement for high privileges limits the likelihood of remote exploitation, reducing the overall risk. Organizations relying heavily on FortiOS for network security, especially those integrating LDAP for authentication, may face increased risk of credential theft, which could undermine trust in their identity management systems. The vulnerability could be particularly concerning for sectors with stringent compliance requirements such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure in Europe. Nonetheless, the low CVSS score and absence of known exploits suggest the immediate threat level is low, but it should not be ignored in environments where FortiOS devices are widely deployed and administrative access controls are weak.

To mitigate CVE-2024-32122, European organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Restrict administrative access to FortiOS devices strictly to trusted personnel and use multi-factor authentication to reduce the risk of privilege escalation. 2) Regularly audit and monitor LDAP server configurations within FortiOS to detect unauthorized changes, especially modifications to LDAP server IP addresses. 3) Employ network segmentation to isolate management interfaces of FortiOS devices from general network access, limiting exposure to potential attackers. 4) Use encrypted and authenticated LDAP communication (e.g., LDAPS) to reduce the risk of credential interception even if LDAP traffic is redirected. 5) Maintain an up-to-date inventory of FortiOS versions in use and apply vendor patches promptly once released to address this vulnerability. 6) Implement logging and alerting on configuration changes and authentication anomalies to detect potential exploitation attempts early. 7) Consider deploying additional endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to monitor for suspicious administrative activities on FortiOS devices. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice by focusing on configuration integrity, access control, and proactive monitoring specific to this vulnerability's exploitation vector.