CVE-2024-23113

From Exploited flaws, HARD’s guide to the flaws being used in attacks · Checked
This article is about a flaw in Fortinet products. For every flaw being used in attacks, see Exploited flaws; for Fortinet’s, see Fortinet flaws being used in attacks.

CVE-2024-23113 is a security flaw in Fortinet products, Fortinet’s business security equipment. Attackers can run their own code on Fortinet products from anywhere, without logging in. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 9 Oct 2024.[1]

Fortinet products is business software or equipment. Most families won’t have it, but attackers break into it to get inside companies, and from there to what those companies hold about their customers, patients and staff. Fortinet has published a fix or advice.

Description

CISA calls it a format string in Fortinet Multiple Products. In its words: “Fortinet FortiOS, FortiPAM, FortiProxy, and FortiWeb contain a format string vulnerability that allows a remote, unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code or commands via specially crafted requests.”[1]

The CVE record adds: “A use of externally-controlled format string in Fortinet FortiOS versions 7.4.0 through 7.4.2, 7.2.0 through 7.2.6, 7.0.0 through 7.0.13, FortiProxy versions 7.4.0 through 7.4.2, 7.2.0 through 7.2.8, 7.0.0 through 7.0.14, FortiPAM versions 1.2.0, 1.1.0 through 1.1.2, 1.0.0 through 1.0.3, FortiSwitchManager versions 7.2.0 through 7.2.3, 7.0.0 through 7.0.3 allows attacker to execute unauthorized code or commands via specially crafted packets.”[2]

The underlying weakness is CWE-134, in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.

It scores 9.8 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it critical, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]

Affected versions

NVD’s record doesn’t list version ranges for it; Fortinet’s advisory has them[3]. CISA names the product as Fortinet Multiple Products.

Most families won’t have Fortinet products; it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.

Exploitation

CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 9 Oct 2024, 237 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 30 Oct 2024 to fix it.[1]

FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at 62%. That’s in the top 1% of the flaws it scores.[4]

CISA assesses it as automatable: attackers can run it against many targets at once.

CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.

Fix

Fortinet has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.”[1]

  1. Check whether you use it.Fortinet products is business software or equipment, so most families won’t have it. If you run a business, or work from home on company equipment, ask whoever looks after your IT.
  2. Send this page to your IT person.Ask them to confirm it’s fixed, or not in use. CISA gave US government agencies until 30 Oct 2024 to fix it.
  3. If it can’t be fixed, take it offline.CISA’s advice when there’s no fix is to stop using the product, or take it off the internet, until there is one.

You can’t fix someone else’s server, but you can watch for what follows a break-in like this: a breach notice, a password reset you didn’t ask for, or a scam message that knows things it shouldn’t. HARD watches for those for you and your family.

Timeline

DateEvent
The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 9.8.[2]
CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks.[1]
CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1]
FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at 62%.[4]

See also

Other Fortinet products flaws

Other Fortinet flaws

  • CVE-2026-104286, Fortinet FortiMail: path traversal ·
  • CVE-2025-68686, Fortinet FortiOS: exposure of sensitive information to an unauthorized actor ·
  • CVE-2026-39808, Fortinet FortiSandbox: OS command injection ·
  • CVE-2026-25089, Fortinet FortiSandbox: OS command injection ·
  • CVE-2026-21643, Fortinet FortiClient EMS: SQL injection ·

Similar flaws

  • CVE-2019-1579, Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS: remote code execution ·
  • CVE-2020-3118, Cisco IOS XR: software discovery protocol format string ·

Added the same day

  • CVE-2024-9380, Ivanti Cloud Services Appliance (CSA): OS command injection ·
  • CVE-2024-9379, Ivanti Cloud Services Appliance (CSA): SQL injection ·

Every Fortinet flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in October 2024

References

  1. ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Fortinet Multiple Products Format String Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 9 Oct 2024.
  2. ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2024-23113 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 15 Feb 2024.
  3. ^ Fortinet. Advisories and fixes: fortiguard.com, fortiguard.com.
  4. ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.617, percentile 99.2, 31 Oct 2026.
  5. CVE Program. “CVE-2024-23113”. The official CVE record.

This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.