Chinese hackers exploit Fortinet VPN zero-day to steal credentials

Chinese threat actors use a custom post-exploitation toolkit named ‘DeepData’ to exploit a zero-day vulnerability in Fortinet’s FortiClient Windows VPN client that steal credentials.

The zero-day allows the threat actors to dump the credentials from memory after the user authenticated with the VPN device

Volexity researchers report that they discovered this flaw earlier this summer and reported it to Fortinet, but the issue remains unfixed, and no CVE has been assigned to it.

“Volexity reported this vulnerability to Fortinet on July 18, 2024, and Fortinet acknowledged the issue on July 24, 2024,” explains the report.

“At the time of writing, this issue remains unresolved and Volexity is not aware of an assigned CVE number.”

Targeting VPN credentials

The attacks are conducted by Chinese hackers named “BrazenBamboo,” known for developing and deploying advanced malware families targeting Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android systems in surveillance operations.

Volexity explains that the threat actors utilize numerous malware as part of their attacks, including the LightSpy and DeepPost malware.

LightSpy is a multi-platform spyware for data collection, keylogging, browser credential theft, and the monitoring of communications. The DeepPost malware is used to steal data from compromised devices.

Volexity’s report focuses on DeepData, a modular post-exploitation tool for Windows, which employs multiple plugins for targeted data theft.

Its latest version, spotted last summer, DeepData includes a FortiClient plugin that exploits a zero-day vulnerability in the product to extract credentials (usernames, passwords) and VPN server information.

DeepData locates and decrypts JSON objects in FortiClient’s process memory where the credentials persist, and exfiltrates them to the attacker’s server using DeepPost.

By compromising VPN accounts, BrazenBamboo can gain initial access to corporate networks, where they can then spread laterally, gain access to sensitive systems, and generally expand espionage campaigns.

FortiClient zero-day

Volexity discovered that DeepData leverages the FortiClient zero in mid-July 2024 and found that it’s similar to a 2016 flaw (also without a CVE), where hardcoded memory offsets exposed credentials.

However, the 2024 vulnerability is new and distinct and works only on recent releases,…