CVE-2021-36172Network attack vector

File disclosure or service interruption via XXE

Published Nov 2, 2021 · Updated Oct 25, 2024

XXE in the XML response parser in Fortinet FortiPortal before 6.0.6 allows attackers to read local files or interrupt service. The parser resolves external entity references in crafted XML reports received from an attacker-controlled report producer, enabling file retrieval or resource exhaustion. Exploitation requires control of a report producer consumed by FortiPortal; resource exhaustion can hang or crash the service.

CVSS severity4.3
Medium
EPSS probability0.83%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

XXE in the XML response parser in Fortinet FortiPortal before 6.0.6 allows attackers to read local files or interrupt service. The parser resolves external entity references in crafted XML reports received from an attacker-controlled report producer, enabling file retrieval or resource exhaustion. Exploitation requires control of a report producer consumed by FortiPortal; resource exhaustion can hang or crash the service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-36172
Published
Nov 2, 2021
Updated
Oct 25, 2024
Vendor
Fortinet
Product
FortiPortal
Classifications
CWE-611, CAPEC-221, T1005
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 2, 2021CVE 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=FortiPortal before 6.0.6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Fortinet · FortiPortalversion=FortiPortal before 6.0.6

Published CVSS scores

6.4NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:P
8.1NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H
4.3Fortinet, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N

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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-611Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference
CAPEC-221Data Serialization External Entities Blowup
T1005Data from Local System

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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