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FortiproxyApplication · Fortinet

CVE-2023-29181

HIGH · 8.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2024-02-22
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 1.1.0 / 2.0.13 or later.
See remediation →
94/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
A use of externally-controlled format string in Fortinet FortiOS 7.2.0 through 7.2.4, 7.0.0 through 7.0.11, 6.4.0 through 6.4.12, 6.2.0 through 6.2.14, 6.0.0 through 6.0.16, FortiProxy 7.2.0 through 7.2.4, 7.0.0 through 7.0.10, 2.0.0 through 2.0.12, 1.2.0 through 1.2.13, 1.1.0 through 1.1.6, 1.0.0 through 1.0.7, FortiPAM 1.0.0 through 1.0.3 allows attacker to execute unauthorized code or commands via specially crafted command.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

A format string vulnerability in Fortinet FortiOS, FortiProxy, and FortiPAM allows attackers to execute unauthorized code or commands via specially crafted input used directly in format string functions (e.g., printf, sprintf without proper format specifiers). This enables remote code execution with the privileges of the affected service.

MitigationApply Fortinet security patches: upgrade FortiOS to 7.2.5+, 7.0.12+, 6.4.13+, 6.2.15+, 6.0.17+; FortiProxy to 7.2.5+, 7.0.11+, 2.0.13+, 1.2.14+, 1.1.7+, 1.0.8+; FortiPAM to 1.0.4+. As interim mitigation, restrict management interface access to trusted IP ranges.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
FortiproxyApplication
Affected:>= 1.0.0, < 2.0.13>= 7.0.0, < 7.0.11>= 7.2.0, < 7.2.5
FortiosOperating system
Affected:>= 6.0.0, < 6.2.15>= 6.4.0, < 6.4.13>= 7.0.0, < 7.0.12>= 7.2.0, < 7.2.5
FortipamOperating system
Affected:>= 1.0.0, < 1.1.0

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify the Fortinet product in use
    Access the device CLI or web interface and run `get system status` to confirm whether the device is running FortiOS, FortiProxy, or FortiPAM. Check the 'FortiOS', 'FortiProxy', or 'FortiPAM' field in the output.
    Affected if The device runs FortiOS, FortiProxy, or FortiPAM without a confirmed patched version.
  2. Determine the installed FortiOS version
    Run `get system status` in the CLI. Locate the 'FortiOS' version number in the output (e.g., 7.2.4, 7.0.11).
    Affected if The version falls within any of these ranges: >= 6.0.0 and < 6.2.15, >= 6.4.0 and < 6.4.13, >= 7.0.0 and < 7.0.12, or >= 7.2.0 and < 7.2.5.
  3. Determine the installed FortiProxy version
    Run `get system status` in the CLI. Locate the 'FortiProxy' version number in the output.
    Affected if The version falls within any of these ranges: >= 1.0.0 and < 2.0.13, >= 7.0.0 and < 7.0.11, or >= 7.2.0 and < 7.2.5.
  4. Determine the installed FortiPAM version
    Run `get system status` in the CLI. Locate the 'FortiPAM' version number in the output.
    Affected if The version is >= 1.0.0 and < 1.1.0.
  5. Verify management interface exposure
    Check the network configuration to determine if the Fortinet management interface (HTTP/HTTPS, SSH) is accessible from untrusted networks. Review firewall policies and interface bindings with `get system interface` or `show system interface`.
    Affected if The management interface is reachable from the internet or untrusted networks without IP restriction.

If the installed FortiOS, FortiProxy, or FortiPAM version matches any of the affected version ranges AND the management interface is externally accessible, the environment is likely vulnerable to remote code execution via this format string flaw.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 1.1.0 / 2.0.13 / 6.2.15 or later
Fixed in 1.1.02.0.136.2.15
Interim mitigation

Apply Fortinet security patches: upgrade FortiOS to 7.2.5+, 7.0.12+, 6.4.13+, 6.2.15+, 6.0.17+; FortiProxy to 7.2.5+, 7.0.11+, 2.0.13+, 1.2.14+, 1.1.7+, 1.0.8+; FortiPAM to 1.0.4+. As interim mitigation, restrict management interface access to trusted IP ranges.

Recommended fix High confidence

FortiOS: 6.0.17+, 6.2.15+, 6.4.13+, 7.0.12+, 7.2.5+ | FortiProxy: 2.0.13+, 7.0.11+, 7.2.5+ | FortiPAM: 1.1.0+

  1. 1. Identify the exact Fortinet product (FortiOS, FortiProxy, or FortiPAM) and current version running in your environment.
  2. 2. For FortiOS: Determine if running 6.0.x, 6.2.x, 6.4.x, 7.0.x, or 7.2.x branch.
  3. 3. For FortiProxy: Determine if running 1.x, 2.x, 7.0.x, or 7.2.x branch.
  4. 4. For FortiPAM: Confirm if running 1.0.x branch.
  5. 5. For FortiOS 6.0.x: Upgrade to version 6.0.17 or later.
  6. 6. For FortiOS 6.2.x: Upgrade to version 6.2.15 or later.
  7. 7. For FortiOS 6.4.x: Upgrade to version 6.4.13 or later.
  8. 8. For FortiOS 7.0.x: Upgrade to version 7.0.12 or later.
Caveat Review Fortinet release notes for each upgrade path for potential configuration changes and downtime requirements; some upgrades may require valid support contract and license.

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Fortiproxy Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation8.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
22.0 hours of engineering $3,940
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-29181 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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