CVE-2021-26115

Root privilege escalation via CLI command injection

Published Dec 19, 2024 · Updated Dec 20, 2024

OS command injection in the Fortinet FortiWAN CLI allows local users with low privileges to execute commands as root. Fortinet identifies the command-line interface as the affected locus but does not disclose the vulnerable command or how crafted input reaches an operating-system shell. Exploitation requires an authenticated, unprivileged local CLI session and grants root-level command execution on the appliance.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.79%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

OS command injection in the Fortinet FortiWAN CLI allows local users with low privileges to execute commands as root. Fortinet identifies the command-line interface as the affected locus but does not disclose the vulnerable command or how crafted input reaches an operating-system shell. Exploitation requires an authenticated, unprivileged local CLI session and grants root-level command execution on the appliance.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-26115
Published
Dec 19, 2024
Updated
Dec 20, 2024
Vendor
Fortinet
Product
FortiWAN
Classifications
CWE-78, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 19, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Dec 20, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=4.0.0 <=4.0.6
  2. Affected versionversion=4.1.1 <=4.1.3
  3. Affected versionversion=4.2.1 <=4.2.2
  4. Affected versionversion=4.2.5 <=4.2.7
  5. Affected versionversion=4.3.0 <=4.3.1
  6. Affected versionversion=4.4.0 <=4.4.1
  7. Affected versionversion=4.5.0 <=4.5.7

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Fortinet · FortiWANversion=4.0.0 <=4.0.6; version=4.1.1 <=4.1.3; version=4.2.1 <=4.2.2; version=4.2.5 <=4.2.7; version=4.3.0 <=4.3.1; version=4.4.0 <=4.4.1; version=4.5.0 <=4.5.7

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8FortinetCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-78Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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