CVE-2021-43065Public exploit

Administrator access via readable cleartext wizard credentials

Published Dec 9, 2021 · Updated Oct 25, 2024

Incorrect file permissions in Fortinet FortiNAC 9.2.0, 9.1.3 and earlier, and 8.8.9 and earlier allow local users to gain administrator access. An unprivileged SSH account can read cleartext Configuration Wizard credentials from /bsc/services/tomcat-admin/conf/tomcat-users.xml because its permissions expose the file. Using those credentials on the HTTPS configuration interface grants administrative configuration access, including changes that can interrupt service or lock legitimate administrators out.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.43%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Incorrect file permissions in Fortinet FortiNAC 9.2.0, 9.1.3 and earlier, and 8.8.9 and earlier allow local users to gain administrator access. An unprivileged SSH account can read cleartext Configuration Wizard credentials from /bsc/services/tomcat-admin/conf/tomcat-users.xml because its permissions expose the file. Using those credentials on the HTTPS configuration interface grants administrative configuration access, including changes that can interrupt service or lock legitimate administrators out.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-43065
Published
Dec 9, 2021
Updated
Oct 25, 2024
Vendor
Fortinet
Product
FortiNAC
Classifications
CWE-732, T1555.005, T1078
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 9, 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=FortiNAC 9.2.0, 9.1.3, 9.1.2, 9.1.1, 9.1.0, 8.8.9, 8.8.8, 8.8.7, 8.8.6, 8.8.5, 8.8.4, 8.8.3, 8.8.2, 8.8.1, 8.8.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Fortinet · FortiNACversion=FortiNAC 9.2.0, 9.1.3, 9.1.2, 9.1.1, 9.1.0, 8.8.9, 8.8.8, 8.8.7, 8.8.6, 8.8.5, 8.8.4, 8.8.3, 8.8.2, 8.8.1, 8.8.0

Published CVSS scores

7.6FortinetCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:F/RL:X/RC:C
7.8FortinetCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.2NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-732Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource
T1555.005Credentials from Password Stores: Credentials from Files
T1078Valid Accounts

Public exploit references

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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