CVE-2023-26204Known exploitationNetwork attack vector

Administrator impersonation via plaintext password storage

Published Jun 13, 2023 · Updated Oct 22, 2024

Plaintext password storage in Fortinet FortiSIEM affected releases allows attackers with user-database access to impersonate GUI administrators. The user database retains administrator passwords without cryptographic protection, allowing anyone who reads its contents to recover reusable GUI credentials. The gate is prior access to the user database; the bounded consequence is administrator impersonation in the device GUI.

CVSS severity3.7
Low
EPSS probability0.43%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationReported
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Plaintext password storage in Fortinet FortiSIEM affected releases allows attackers with user-database access to impersonate GUI administrators. The user database retains administrator passwords without cryptographic protection, allowing anyone who reads its contents to recover reusable GUI credentials. The gate is prior access to the user database; the bounded consequence is administrator impersonation in the device GUI.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-26204
Published
Jun 13, 2023
Updated
Oct 22, 2024
Vendor
Fortinet
Product
FortiSIEM
Classifications
CWE-256, CWE-522, T1555, T1078
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 13, 2023CVE 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=5.3.0 <=5.3.3
  2. Affected versionversion=5.4.0
  3. Affected versionversion=6.1.0 <=6.1.2
  4. Affected versionversion=6.2.0 <=6.2.1
  5. Affected versionversion=6.3.0 <=6.3.3
  6. Affected versionversion=6.4.0 <=6.4.2
  7. Affected versionversion=6.5.0 <=6.5.1
  8. Affected versionversion=6.6.0 <=6.6.3
  9. Affected versionversion=6.7.0 <=6.7.5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Fortinet · FortiSIEMversion=5.3.0 <=5.3.3; version=5.4.0; version=6.1.0 <=6.1.2; version=6.2.0 <=6.2.1; version=6.3.0 <=6.3.3; version=6.4.0 <=6.4.2; version=6.5.0 <=6.5.1; version=6.6.0 <=6.6.3; version=6.7.0 <=6.7.5

Published CVSS scores

3.7FortinetCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
3.6FortinetCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N/E:F/RL:U/RC: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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationReported
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-256Plaintext Storage of a Password
CWE-522Insufficiently Protected Credentials
T1555Credentials from Password Stores
T1078Valid Accounts

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.

Reported exploitation

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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