CVE-2024-48891 is a vulnerability in Fortinet FortiSOAR on-premise versions 7.3.0 through 7.6.1 that allows local privilege escalation via OS command injection. The root cause is improper neutralization of special elements in OS commands, classified under CWE-78. An attacker who already has low-privileged shell access—obtained through another vulnerability or misconfiguration—can craft malicious commands that escalate their privileges on the affected system. This vulnerability does not provide initial access but enables an attacker to gain higher privileges once inside. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.6 (medium severity), reflecting the requirement for local access, high attack complexity, and the need for low privileges initially. The impact includes potential full system compromise, data confidentiality breaches, integrity violations, and disruption of availability. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the vulnerability is critical to address due to the sensitive nature of FortiSOAR deployments in security operations centers. FortiSOAR is widely used for security orchestration, automation, and response, making this vulnerability particularly concerning as it could allow attackers to manipulate security workflows or disable defenses. The vulnerability affects multiple recent versions, emphasizing the need for timely patching once Fortinet releases fixes. Until patches are available, organizations should limit shell access and monitor for suspicious command execution patterns.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-48891 can be significant, especially for those relying on FortiSOAR for security orchestration and incident response. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to escalate privileges locally, potentially leading to full system compromise. This could result in unauthorized access to sensitive security data, manipulation or disruption of automated security workflows, and degradation of incident response capabilities. Confidentiality is at risk as attackers could access sensitive logs and configurations. Integrity could be compromised by altering security automation scripts or disabling detection mechanisms. Availability could be affected if attackers disrupt or disable FortiSOAR services. Given FortiSOAR’s role in managing security operations, exploitation could have cascading effects on an organization’s overall security posture. The requirement for prior low-privileged shell access limits the attack surface but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments where initial access controls are weak or other vulnerabilities exist. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not preclude targeted attacks. Organizations in sectors such as finance, critical infrastructure, and government are particularly vulnerable due to the high value of their security operations data and the strategic importance of maintaining robust incident response capabilities.

1. Apply patches promptly once Fortinet releases updates addressing CVE-2024-48891. Monitor Fortinet advisories closely. 2. Restrict shell access on FortiSOAR systems to trusted administrators only, using strong authentication and network segmentation. 3. Implement strict access controls and least privilege principles to minimize the risk of initial low-privileged shell access. 4. Monitor system logs and command execution patterns for unusual or unauthorized activity indicative of privilege escalation attempts. 5. Conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration tests to identify and remediate any initial access vectors that could be chained with this vulnerability. 6. Use host-based intrusion detection systems (HIDS) to detect suspicious local command injections or privilege escalation behaviors. 7. Harden the underlying operating system and FortiSOAR configuration to reduce attack surface, including disabling unnecessary services and applying security best practices. 8. Educate security teams about this vulnerability and ensure incident response plans include steps for detecting and responding to local privilege escalation attempts. 9. Consider deploying application whitelisting or command execution restrictions to prevent execution of unauthorized commands. 10. Maintain up-to-date backups and recovery procedures to mitigate impact in case of compromise.