Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2021-41024 is a Fortinet information disclosure flaw. An unauthenticated attacker could use path traversal sequences in a login-page GET request to read sensitive server information from affected FortiOS and FortiProxy versions. The main business risk is exposure of confidential appliance data without credentials.
Executive priority
Treat this as high priority for exposed Fortinet appliances because exploitation requires no credentials and can disclose sensitive information. Patch planning should follow Fortinet’s advisory, with internet-facing systems handled first.
Technical view
The source bundle describes a CWE-23 relative path traversal in FortiOS 7.0.0 and 7.0.1, and FortiProxy 7.0.0. CVSS 3.1 is 7.5 high: network reachable, low complexity, no privileges, no user interaction, high confidentiality impact, no integrity or availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is likely limited to organizations running FortiOS 7.0.0 or 7.0.1, or FortiProxy 7.0.0, especially where the login page is reachable from untrusted networks.
Exploitation context
The supplied bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation evidence. The CVSS vector marks exploit code maturity as functional, but that is not the same as confirmed active exploitation.
Researcher notes
Evidence is narrow but clear: affected versions, attack surface, and confidentiality impact are stated in the CVE source bundle. No source in the bundle provides proof of active exploitation or detailed remediation text beyond the Fortinet advisory reference.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory FortiOS and FortiProxy versions against the affected versions listed in the advisory.
- Review Fortinet FG-IR-21-181 for vendor-confirmed fixed versions and upgrade guidance.
- Prioritize affected internet-reachable login interfaces for remediation.
- Limit login-page exposure to trusted networks where operationally feasible until vendor guidance is applied.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether any FortiOS assets run 7.0.0 or 7.0.1.
- Confirm whether any FortiProxy assets run 7.0.0.
- Identify whether affected login pages are reachable from the internet or untrusted networks.
- Review web or appliance logs for unusual login-page GET requests, without relying on payload matching alone.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
File access behavior lookup
The CVE wording references file access or upload behavior, so file telemetry and web shell review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-41024 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.5 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N/E:F/RL:X/RC:X
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N/E:F/RL:X/RC:X3.93.6Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.5HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N/E:F/RL:X/RC:X
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://fortiguard.com/advisory/FG-IR-21-181CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.