Last Friday, a vulnerability was discovered in FortiOS SSL-VPN. This vulnerability strikes at the heart of what many small and medium-sized businesses use for their daily security needs: Fortinet's FortiGate with VPN. The importance of immediate action cannot be overemphasized.

FortiOS, the operating system behind FortiGate VPN devices, has been discovered to have a critical vulnerability in its SSL-VPN functionality. This vulnerability could allow remote attackers to gain unauthorized access to an organization's network without requiring advanced authentication. The risk? Unauthorized access to sensitive corporate data, customer information, and potentially the deployment of malware or ransomware within your network.

To protect your business from these and future vulnerabilities, here are some critical steps to take:

1. Patch and Update: Immediately check for and apply updates to your FortiOS devices. Fortinet regularly publishes patches for known vulnerabilities.

2. Manage and monitor: Monitor your network traffic and log files closely for signs of unusual activity. This may indicate an attempt to exploit the vulnerability.

3. Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): MFA can serve as an extra layer of security even if an attacker obtains your VPN access credentials. You no longer rely on just a password. We can help you with this in conjunction with Single Sign-on.

4. Cybersecurity training: Make sure your employees are trained in cybersecurity practices, especially in how to recognize phishing attacks and other common cyber threats.

5. Develop an Incident Response Plan: Do you have a plan ready in case your network is compromised? Such a plan should include clear guidelines on how to respond, who to notify and how to mitigate the damage.

The recent vulnerability in FortiOS SSL-VPN is a reminder of the constant need for vigilance and proactive security measures. We can help you with all of the above steps and have proactive resources to make your business well resilient to such issues.

Analyst ICT's customers who own a Fortinet device were all “patched” immediately the same day (last Friday) making them secure against this vulnerability. Super logical for us!