Chinese Hackers Exploited FortiGate Flaw to Breach Dutch Military Network
Feb 07, 2024
Cyber Espionage / Network Security
Chinese state-backed hackers broke into a computer network that's used by the Dutch armed forces by targeting Fortinet FortiGate devices. "This [computer network] was used for unclassified research and development (R&D)," the Dutch Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD) said in a statement. "Because this system was self-contained, it did not lead to any damage to the defense network." The network had less than 50 users. The intrusion, which took place in 2023, leveraged a known critical security flaw in FortiOS SSL-VPN ( CVE-2022-42475 , CVSS score: 9.3) that allows an unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code via specially crafted requests. Successful exploitation of the flaw paved the way for the deployment of a backdoor dubbed COATHANGER from an actor-controlled server that's designed to grant persistent remote access to the compromised appliances. "The COATHANGER malware is stealthy and persistent," the Dutch N...
