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Forticlient Endpoint Management ServerApplication · Fortinet

CVE-2024-21753

MEDIUM · 6.0 CVSS v3.1 Published 2024-09-10
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to after 7.2.4 or later.
See remediation →
66/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
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 improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory ('path traversal') in Fortinet FortiClientEMS versions 7.2.0 through 7.2.4, 7.0.0 through 7.0.13, 6.4.0 through 6.4.9, 6.2.0 through 6.2.9, 6.0.0 through 6.0.8, 1.2.1 through 1.2.5 allows attacker to perform a denial of service, read or write a limited number of files via specially crafted HTTP requests

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 contains a path traversal vulnerability allowing specially crafted HTTP requests to read or write limited files on the target system, potentially leading to denial of service. The vulnerability affects multiple version branches from 6.0.x through 7.2.x.

MitigationUpgrade FortiClientEMS to the latest version or a version beyond the affected ranges (7.2.5+, 7.0.14+, 6.4.10+, 6.2.10+, 6.0.9+, 1.2.6+) as specified in Fortinet's advisory. Apply network segmentation to limit EMS exposure to untrusted networks.

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:>= 1.2.1, <= 1.2.5>= 6.0.0, <= 6.0.8>= 6.2.0, <= 6.2.9>= 6.4.0, <= 6.4.9>= 7.0.0, <= 7.0.13>= 7.2.0, <= 7.2.4

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

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/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 if FortiClientEMS is installed
    On the target system, check for FortiClientEMS service or process. On Windows, open Services and look for 'FortiClient Endpoint Management Server' or check Task Manager for emsd.exe process.
    Affected if FortiClientEMS service or process is found running on the system
  2. Determine the installed EMS version
    Access the FortiClientEMS web login page and check the version banner, or query the EMS server directly via HTTP for version information. Alternatively, check the installation directory for version files or use the EMS CLI if available.
    Affected if The discovered version falls within 1.2.1-1.2.5, 6.0.0-6.0.8, 6.2.0-6.2.9, 6.4.0-6.4.9, 7.0.0-7.0.13, or 7.2.0-7.2.4
  3. Verify HTTP service exposure
    Confirm that the FortiClientEMS web interface (typically on port 443 or 8443) is accessible. Test with a browser or curl command to the EMS server URL.
    Affected if The EMS web interface is accessible via HTTP/HTTPS and responds to requests
  4. Check network accessibility of EMS ports
    From an external or untrusted network perspective, attempt to reach the EMS web ports or review firewall rules to determine if the interface is exposed beyond trusted networks.
    Affected if The EMS HTTP interface is reachable from untrusted networks or the internet

Your environment is affected if FortiClientEMS is running a version within the affected ranges AND the web interface is accessible, since the path traversal flaw is exploited via crafted HTTP requests.

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 7.2.4
Interim mitigation

Upgrade FortiClientEMS to the latest version or a version beyond the affected ranges (7.2.5+, 7.0.14+, 6.4.10+, 6.2.10+, 6.0.9+, 1.2.6+) as specified in Fortinet's advisory. Apply network segmentation to limit EMS exposure to untrusted networks.

Recommended fix High confidence

FortiClient EMS 7.2.5+, 7.0.14+, 6.4.10+, 6.2.10+, 6.0.9+, or 1.2.6+ depending on your current branch

  1. 1. Identify the current FortiClient EMS version by navigating to System Settings > About in the EMS management console
  2. 2. Based on your current major version branch, plan upgrade path: For 7.2.x upgrade to 7.2.5 or later; For 7.0.x upgrade to 7.0.14 or later; For 6.4.x upgrade to 6.4.10 or later; For 6.2.x upgrade to 6.2.10 or later; For 6.0.x upgrade to 6.0.9 or later; For 1.2.x upgrade to 1.2.6 or later
  3. 3. Backup the EMS database and configuration before upgrading
  4. 4. Download the appropriate upgraded version from Fortinet's support portal (support.fortinet.com)
  5. 5. Apply the upgrade during a maintenance window following Fortinet's upgrade documentation
  6. 6. After upgrade, verify the EMS services are running correctly and the management console is accessible
  7. 7. Confirm the version number reflects the patched release
Caveat Review Fortinet release notes for your target version for any configuration or behavioral changes; test upgrade in staging environment first

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 / QA1.0 h
10.0 hours of engineering $1,750
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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-2024-21753 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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