CVE-2022-26113Public exploit

Local privilege escalation via unchecked backup path

Published Jul 18, 2022 · Updated Oct 22, 2024

Improper privilege management in Fortinet FortiClient Windows allows local users to write arbitrary files as SYSTEM via configuration backup. The SYSTEM scheduler service invokes FCConfig.exe with a backup path that is validated only in the Electron UI, so direct BackupConfig calls bypass destination permission checks. Any local user able to run the client can target protected paths in 6.0.0 through 6.0.10, 6.2.0 through 6.2.9, 6.4.0 through 6.4.7, and 7.0.0 through 7.0.3, including an administrator startup folder for later code execution.

CVSS severity7.7
High
EPSS probability0.33%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper privilege management in Fortinet FortiClient Windows allows local users to write arbitrary files as SYSTEM via configuration backup. The SYSTEM scheduler service invokes FCConfig.exe with a backup path that is validated only in the Electron UI, so direct BackupConfig calls bypass destination permission checks. Any local user able to run the client can target protected paths in 6.0.0 through 6.0.10, 6.2.0 through 6.2.9, 6.4.0 through 6.4.7, and 7.0.0 through 7.0.3, including an administrator startup folder for later code execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-26113
Published
Jul 18, 2022
Updated
Oct 22, 2024
Vendor
Fortinet
Product
FortiClient Windows
Classifications
CWE-250, CWE-269, T1547.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 18, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 22, 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=FortiClientWindows 7.0.0 through 7.0.3, 6.4.0 through 6.4.7, 6.2.0 through 6.2.9, 6.0.0 through 6.0.10

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Fortinet · FortiClient Windowsversion=FortiClientWindows 7.0.0 through 7.0.3, 6.4.0 through 6.4.7, 6.2.0 through 6.2.9, 6.0.0 through 6.0.10

Published CVSS scores

7.7Fortinet, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
7.1NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-250Execution with Unnecessary Privileges
CWE-269Improper Privilege Management
T1547.001Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder

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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