CVE-2020-29011
📋 TL;DR
This SQL injection vulnerability in FortiSandbox allows authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via crafted HTTP requests to the checksum search and MTA-quarantine modules. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized code execution on the underlying SQL interpreter. Affected systems include FortiSandbox versions 3.2.0-3.2.2 and 3.1.0-3.1.4.
💻 Affected Systems
- FortiSandbox
📦 What is this software?
Fortisandbox by Fortinet
Fortisandbox by Fortinet
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise via SQL injection leading to remote code execution, data exfiltration, and lateral movement within the network.
Likely Case
Unauthorized database access, data manipulation, and potential privilege escalation within the FortiSandbox system.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper network segmentation, authentication controls, and input validation in place.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires authenticated access to the FortiSandbox web interface. SQL injection vulnerabilities are typically straightforward to exploit once identified.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: FortiSandbox 3.2.3 or 3.1.5 and above
Vendor Advisory: https://fortiguard.com/advisory/FG-IR-20-171
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download the latest firmware from Fortinet support portal. 2. Backup current configuration. 3. Upload and install the firmware update via web interface or CLI. 4. Reboot the appliance after installation completes.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict Access to Vulnerable Modules
allLimit network access to FortiSandbox web interface and disable unnecessary modules if possible.
Implement Web Application Firewall
allDeploy WAF with SQL injection protection rules in front of FortiSandbox.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network segmentation to isolate FortiSandbox from critical systems
- Enforce strong authentication policies and monitor for suspicious SQL queries in logs
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check FortiSandbox firmware version via web interface (System > Dashboard) or CLI command 'get system status'Check Version:
get system status | grep VersionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify firmware version is 3.2.3 or higher, or 3.1.5 or higher after patching📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual SQL queries in database logs
- Multiple failed authentication attempts followed by SQL-like patterns in web logs
- HTTP requests with SQL injection patterns to /checksum or /mta-quarantine endpoints
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound database connections from FortiSandbox
- SQL error messages in HTTP responses
SIEM Query:
source="fortisandbox" AND (url="*checksum*" OR url="*mta-quarantine*") AND (query="*SELECT*" OR query="*UNION*" OR query="*INSERT*" OR query="*DELETE*")