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FGT-SEC-013CriticalFortiGateCIS 2.4.5

HTTP or Telnet administration allowed on an interface

At a glance

Base severity

Critical

Area

Administrators and Access

Platform

FortiGate

Evidence level

Fact1.00

Benchmark reference

CIS 2.4.5

Reads the export, not the device

ConfigProof reads a configuration export. This control is evaluated against the objects in that file, and it reports what the file says. It does not connect to the device and sees no traffic, so a finding here describes the configuration, not what the firewall is doing right now.

Why it matters

HTTP and Telnet send administrator credentials in clear text on the network path to the device whenever they are used.

How to fix it

Web interface

The steps below are written for the web interface. A finding raised on your own export carries the same steps with your object names filled in.

  1. Remove http and telnet from the interface's allowaccess and use https and ssh.

Command line

FortiOS CLI

config system interfaceedit <interface>set allowaccess <allowed-access>nextend

An example. Values in angle brackets are yours to supply; a finding on your own export fills in the names it read. FortiOS saves a change when you type next or end, with no separate commit. Read every line first.

Read it back

show system interface <interface>
Values to fill in2
<interface>
The interface to change
<allowed-access>
The access to keep on the interface, for example ping https ssh on an internal interface
Before you type it3
  • Written from the FortiOS CLI Reference, not yet run on a device. Read each line before typing it.
  • On a device with VDOMs, type these inside the VDOM (config vdom, edit the VDOM) or inside config global for a global setting.
  • Confirm your own session is not using the service you are turning off.

How to confirm the fix

  • Confirm administrators reach the device over HTTPS and SSH before removing the clear text protocols.

Limits

  • No limitation is recorded for this control beyond the one that applies to all of them: it reads a configuration export.

Compliance references

2.4.5

CIS FortiGate 7.4.x Benchmark v1.0.1

Covers the whole recommendation

Where a control aligns with a recommendation of the CIS FortiGate 7.4.x Benchmark v1.0.1, that recommendation is cited as a reference. Only that version was checked. A reference is not a certification.

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