CVE-2023-48788
Fortinet FortiClient EMS · Monitoring, ITSM and asset management
Fortinet FortiClient EMS SQL Injection Vulnerability
At a glance
Exploited. Added to CISA’s catalog of exploited vulnerabilities on March 25, 2024.
Used in ransomware attacks, according to CISA.
Affected product: Fortinet FortiClient EMS (category Monitoring, ITSM and asset management, indicative classification). Name in CISA’s catalog: Fortinet FortiClient EMS.
What should I do?
Apply the patches or mitigations from Fortinet; if none are available, stop using the product.
Deadline set by CISA for US federal agencies: 21 days (due April 15, 2024). It only binds those agencies, but it is a useful measure of urgency.
- Fortinet security advisories page (general page, not the advisory for this vulnerability)
- The vendor’s specific advisory is listed in the NVD references: CVE-2023-48788 on the NVD website.
Original text of the required action (CISA)
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Timeline
- Vulnerability published Publication date (NVD)
- Exploitation confirmed Added to CISA’s KEV catalog
- CISA deadline Remediation deadline set for US federal agencies
The facts, with their sources
- Exploitation confirmed
- Yes, on March 25, 2024 Date added to the catalog of exploited vulnerabilities. Exploitation itself may have started earlier. Source: KEV catalog, collected September 29, 2026 at 14:57 UTC
- Ransomware
- Known use Source: KEV catalog, collected September 29, 2026 at 14:57 UTC
- Hunt for compromise
- Not requested by CISA Source: KEV catalog, collected September 29, 2026 at 14:57 UTC
- CISA required action
- Apply the patches or mitigations from Fortinet; if none are available, stop using the product. Rewritten by this site from CISA’s original text. Source: KEV catalog, collected September 29, 2026 at 14:57 UTC
- CISA deadline
- April 15, 2024, 21 days Set for US federal agencies: a measure of urgency, not an obligation elsewhere. Source: KEV catalog, collected September 29, 2026 at 14:57 UTC
- Vulnerability published
- March 12, 2024 Source: National Vulnerability Database (NVD), collected September 29, 2026 at 15:00 UTC
- Product according to CISA
- Fortinet FortiClient EMS Filed by this site under “Monitoring, ITSM and asset management” (indicative classification). Source: KEV catalog, collected September 29, 2026 at 14:57 UTC
- CVSS vector
- CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Technical detail of the score: attack vector, complexity, impact. Source: National Vulnerability Database (NVD), collected September 29, 2026 at 15:00 UTC
Severity and activity
FIRST’s EPSS model. Since exploitation is already confirmed, this figure is mostly useful to compare activity. Collected Sep 29, 2026.
Description
A improper neutralization of special elements used in an sql command ('sql injection') in Fortinet FortiClientEMS version 7.2.0 through 7.2.2, FortiClientEMS 7.0.1 through 7.0.10 allows attacker to execute unauthorized code or commands via specially crafted packets.
Official description from the NVD, collected Sep 29, 2026. CVE® description © The MITRE Corporation.
Fortinet FortiClient EMS contains a SQL injection vulnerability that allows an unauthenticated attacker to execute commands as SYSTEM via specifically crafted requests.
Summary from CISA (KEV catalog).
CERT-FR advisories
No advisory among the latest CERT-FR publications this site follows. That does not mean there are none.
Information reused under the Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab); the date of last update is shown for each advisory. This site is neither affiliated with nor endorsed by ANSSI.
Sources for this page
- CISA KEV catalog: exploitation, date added, required action, deadline, ransomware.
- NVD (NIST): CVSS severity, publication date, description, vendor references.
- EPSS (FIRST): probability of exploitation.
- CERT-FR: advisories and alerts (in French).
- Brand and category: indicative classification by this site (method).