CVE-2022-39954Network attack vector

Arbitrary file read or service crash via XXE

Published Feb 16, 2023 · Updated Oct 23, 2024

XXE in affected Fortinet FortiNAC 8.3 through 9.4 releases allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files or crash the service. An XML parser resolves attacker-controlled external entity references in crafted XML documents, permitting local file retrieval or resource exhaustion. No authentication or user interaction is required; file contents can be disclosed, while malicious parsing can interrupt FortiNAC availability.

CVSS severity7.3
High
EPSS probability0.55%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

XXE in affected Fortinet FortiNAC 8.3 through 9.4 releases allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files or crash the service. An XML parser resolves attacker-controlled external entity references in crafted XML documents, permitting local file retrieval or resource exhaustion. No authentication or user interaction is required; file contents can be disclosed, while malicious parsing can interrupt FortiNAC availability.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-39954
Published
Feb 16, 2023
Updated
Oct 23, 2024
Vendor
Fortinet
Product
FortiNAC
Classifications
CWE-611, T1005, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 16, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 23, 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=8.3.7
  2. Affected versionversion=8.5.0 <=8.5.4
  3. Affected versionversion=8.6.0 <=8.6.5
  4. Affected versionversion=8.7.0 <=8.7.6
  5. Affected versionversion=8.8.0 <=8.8.11
  6. Affected versionversion=9.1.0 <=9.1.8
  7. Affected versionversion=9.2.0 <=9.2.7
  8. Affected versionversion=9.4.0 <=9.4.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Fortinet · FortiNACversion=8.3.7; version=8.5.0 <=8.5.4; version=8.6.0 <=8.6.5; version=8.7.0 <=8.7.6; version=8.8.0 <=8.8.11; version=9.1.0 <=9.1.8; version=9.2.0 <=9.2.7; version=9.4.0 <=9.4.1

Published CVSS scores

7.3Fortinet, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
9.1NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-611Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference
T1005Data from Local System
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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