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Firewalls Are Not Enough: Understanding the Fortinet Flaw and How MixMode Enhances Security

by Josh Snow on August 3, 2023

Josh Snow Senior Sales Engineer

Josh is a Senior Sales Engineer at MixMode and Cybersecurity professional with 15+ years experience delivering next-generation solutions to the industry. Josh has certifications including CSE, CCENT, CCNA, CCDA, LCSE, and IPC.

Firewalls have been the go-to solution for years, but as technology advances, so do the tactics of malicious actors. A recent security flaw discovered in Fortinet firewalls has reignited the debate about whether firewalls alone are sufficient to protect your infrastructure. Spoiler alert: they’re not!

Today I’m going to look into the critical areas that should concern every organization heavily reliant on firewalls for their cybersecurity defense.

Fortinet, a reputable player in the cybersecurity arena, recently disclosed a critical pre-authentication remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability that affects their firewalls. This means that attackers can exploit this vulnerability even before authentication occurs, bypassing multi-factor authentication and gaining unauthorized access to your systems.

The implications of this flaw are alarming. Around 250,000 Fortinet endpoints have been exposed on the Internet via Shodan. That translates to 250,000 potential entry points for attackers to exploit this RCE flaw. If your organization is using Fortinet firewalls and you haven’t patched them promptly, your systems could be at risk.

This scenario highlights a significant issue with relying solely on firewalls as your primary defense. The cybersecurity landscape is constantly evolving, and next-generation firewalls are not immune to vulnerabilities and bypassing techniques exploited by malicious actors. If attackers manage to slip through your firewall defenses, they can own your systems and wreak havoc on your infrastructure.

Beyond Firewalls: How MixMode Can Help

The MixMode Platform provides an essential layer of protection beyond firewalls, adding intelligence and advanced analytics to your security arsenal. We empower organizations to understand what’s happening beyond their firewalls, enabling proactive threat detection and response. Let’s explore how MixMode can help shore up your security posture and safeguard your infrastructure:

Alert on Abnormal Connections: MixMode’s AI can identify unusual network connections and behaviors. For example, if a connection to a particular IP address shows anomalous traffic patterns or deviates from typical behavior, The MixMode Platform will immediately raise an alert. By detecting anomalies in real-time, you gain precious minutes to respond to potential threats before they escalate.

Context-Driven Workflows: When it comes to cybersecurity, context is key. The MixMode Platform doesn’t just provide alerts; it also delivers context-driven workflows associated with network transactions. This contextual information equips your security team with actionable insights, allowing them to investigate incidents efficiently and make informed decisions.

Unveiling Initial Access Attempts: Suppose an attacker successfully bypasses your firewall’s multi-factor authentication using the Fortinet RCE flaw. In that case, The MixMode Platform will identify and flag the initial access attempt. Armed with this information, your team can take immediate action to thwart the threat before it spreads further.

Lateral Movement Detection: Once inside your network, attackers will attempt to move laterally, exploring vulnerable areas to expand their influence. MixMode’s AI excels at identifying these lateral movements by analyzing communication patterns between different zones and IPs. By detecting abnormal communication between zones, The MixMode Platform enables you to detect and neutralize threats early on.

Complementing Zero Trust Design: While a Zero Trust architecture can significantly enhance security, it requires a comprehensive understanding of your network’s intricacies. The MixMode Platform complements your Zero Trust design by providing real-time visibility and continuous monitoring, ensuring that your security measures remain effective and responsive to emerging threats.

The recent Fortinet firewall flaw underscores the limitations of traditional firewalls in today’s rapidly evolving threat landscape. To fortify your cybersecurity defenses, it’s essential to look beyond firewalls and adopt intelligent solutions like The MixMode Platform. The MixMode Platform is the only generative AI cybersecurity solution built on patented technology purpose-built to detect and respond to threats in real-time, at scale, arming you with proactive threat detection, context-rich insights, and continuous monitoring, strengthening your infrastructure against the most sophisticated cyber threats.

Don’t wait for a breach to happen. Embrace the power of MixMode today and stay one step ahead of cyber adversaries. Your infrastructure’s security is too crucial to be left to outdated practices. Let’s make the leap together, beyond firewalls, towards a safer digital future.