dbcve.org
Forticlient Endpoint Management ServerApplication · Fortinet

CVE-2023-47534

HIGH · 8.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2024-03-12
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to after 7.2.2 or later.
See remediation →
95/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges

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 improper neutralization of formula elements in a csv file in Fortinet FortiClientEMS version 7.2.0 through 7.2.2, 7.0.0 through 7.0.10, 6.4.0 through 6.4.9, 6.2.0 through 6.2.9, 6.0.0 through 6.0.8 allows attacker to execute unauthorized code or commands via specially crafted packets.

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

FortiClientEMS fails to properly neutralize special formula characters (=, +, -, @, etc.) in CSV file processing. When a CSV file containing formula injection payloads is imported or processed by the EMS, the formulas are executed rather than treated as literal text, allowing arbitrary command execution on the server.

MitigationApply the vendor-supplied patch/update to FortiClientEMS to a version beyond 7.2.2, 7.0.10, 6.4.9, 6.2.9, or 6.0.8. Prior to patching, restrict import functionality to trusted CSV sources only and monitor for suspicious CSV processing activity.

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
Forticlient Endpoint Management ServerApplication
Affected:>= 6.0.0, <= 6.0.8>= 6.2.0, <= 6.2.9>= 6.4.0, <= 6.4.9>= 7.0.0, <= 7.0.10>= 7.2.0, <= 7.2.2

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
None
User interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/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 FortiClientEMS installation and version
    Check the FortiClientEMS version by logging into the management console and navigating to System Settings > About, or run the command 'forticlientems --version' on the server if available via CLI
    Affected if The installed version falls within 6.0.0-6.0.8, 6.2.0-6.2.9, 6.4.0-6.4.9, 7.0.0-7.0.10, or 7.2.0-7.2.2
  2. Verify CSV import feature is accessible
    Log into the FortiClientEMS web interface and check if the CSV import functionality for endpoints, policies, or deployment packages is available. Navigate to the import sections under Endpoint or Policy management
    Affected if CSV import functionality is enabled and accessible to users with administrative privileges
  3. Review CSV import logs for suspicious activity
    Access FortiClientEMS logs via the management console (Log & Report > Event Logs) or check system logs on the server for entries containing 'import', 'csv', or formula-related keywords around the time of any CSV imports
    Affected if Logs show CSV imports were performed, especially from untrusted or external sources
  4. Check for unexpected system behavior or compromises
    Review the EMS server for any unexpected processes, scheduled tasks, or network connections that may indicate command execution resulting from formula injection
    Affected if The server exhibits unexpected behavior, new scheduled tasks, or outbound connections to unknown destinations after CSV processing

You are affected if FortiClientEMS version is within the affected ranges AND CSV import functionality is available or has been used, with logs or files indicating processing of potentially malicious CSV content.

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 a release after 7.2.2
Interim mitigation

Apply the vendor-supplied patch/update to FortiClientEMS to a version beyond 7.2.2, 7.0.10, 6.4.9, 6.2.9, or 6.0.8. Prior to patching, restrict import functionality to trusted CSV sources only and monitor for suspicious CSV processing activity.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Upgrade to FortiClient EMS 7.2.3 or later (7.0.x users should upgrade to 7.0.11 or later, 6.4.x to 6.4.10 or later, 6.2.x to 6.2.10 or later, 6.0.x to 6.0.9 or later)

  1. 1. Identify the current FortiClient EMS version by logging into the EMS management console and navigating to System Settings > About or checking the dashboard.
  2. 2. Based on the affected versions (6.0.0-6.0.8, 6.2.0-6.2.9, 6.4.0-6.4.9, 7.0.0-7.0.10, 7.2.0-7.2.2), plan an upgrade to a fixed release.
  3. 3. Backup the EMS database and configuration before upgrading. Go to System Settings > Backup & Restore and download a backup.
  4. 4. Download the fixed EMS version from the Fortinet Customer Service Portal or FortiGuard advisory resources.
  5. 5. Apply the upgrade by navigating to System Settings > Firmware Update or using the FortiClient EMS installer.
  6. 6. After upgrade, verify the version matches the fixed release and test critical functionality.
  7. 7. Monitor FortiGuard for any subsequent updates or additional patches.
Caveat Review Fortinet release notes for the target version to check for compatibility requirements, database schema changes, or feature modifications that may require configuration adjustments.

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

Fix this in Forticlient Endpoint Management Server Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
11.0 hours of engineering $1,930
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,088.

Scan for this in your stack

Free · runs locally
dbcve dependency scanner

Check whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-47534 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.

Get it on GitHub Scan in the browser

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-2023-47534 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.

What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data