CVE-2021-26116

Administrative command execution via crafted CLI arguments

Published Apr 6, 2022 · Updated Oct 25, 2024

OS command injection in the FortiAuthenticator CLI before 6.3.1 allows local users to execute unauthorized commands via crafted arguments. The command-line interpreter fails to neutralize shell-significant elements in arguments supplied to existing commands, causing additional operating system commands to be interpreted. Administrative CLI access is required, and successful exploitation permits command execution outside the authorized command set.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability0.62%
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 FortiAuthenticator CLI before 6.3.1 allows local users to execute unauthorized commands via crafted arguments. The command-line interpreter fails to neutralize shell-significant elements in arguments supplied to existing commands, causing additional operating system commands to be interpreted. Administrative CLI access is required, and successful exploitation permits command execution outside the authorized command set.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-26116
Published
Apr 6, 2022
Updated
Oct 25, 2024
Vendor
Fortinet
Product
FortiAuthenticator
Classifications
CWE-78, T1059
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 6, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 25, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=FortiAuthenticator before 6.3.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Fortinet · FortiAuthenticatorversion=FortiAuthenticator before 6.3.1

Published CVSS scores

6.5NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P
6.7Fortinet, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-78Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
T1059Command and Scripting Interpreter

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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