CVE-2023-36640

Local code execution via crafted format string

Published May 14, 2024 · Updated Jun 12, 2026

Format-string injection in Fortinet FortiOS, FortiPAM, FortiProxy, and FortiSwitch Manager allows local users to execute code. Specially crafted commands supply the external format string, but Fortinet has not disclosed the affected command handler or formatting call. Exploitation requires high privileges and local command access; successful attacks can read or alter protected data and interrupt the appliance.

CVSS severity6.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.28%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Format-string injection in Fortinet FortiOS, FortiPAM, FortiProxy, and FortiSwitch Manager allows local users to execute code. Specially crafted commands supply the external format string, but Fortinet has not disclosed the affected command handler or formatting call. Exploitation requires high privileges and local command access; successful attacks can read or alter protected data and interrupt the appliance.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-36640
Published
May 14, 2024
Updated
Jun 12, 2026
Vendor
Fortinet
Product
FortiOS
Classifications
CWE-134, T1059
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 14, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jun 12, 2026Record 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=6.0.0 <=6.0.16
  2. Affected versionversion=6.2.0
  3. Affected versionversion=6.2.0 <=6.2.17
  4. Affected versionversion=6.4.0
  5. Affected versionversion=6.4.0 <=6.4.14
  6. Affected versionversion=7.0.0
  7. Affected versionversion=7.0.0 <=7.0.12
  8. Affected versionversion=7.2.0
  9. Affected versionversion=7.2.0 <=7.2.5
  10. Affected versionversion=7.4.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Fortinet · FortiOSversion=6.0.0 <=6.0.16; version=6.2.0; version=6.2.0 <=6.2.17; version=6.4.0; version=6.4.0 <=6.4.14; version=7.0.0; version=7.0.0 <=7.0.12; version=7.2.0; version=7.2.0 <=7.2.5; version=7.4.0
Fortinet · FortiPAMversion=1.0.0 <=1.0.3; version=1.0.0 <=1.1.*
Fortinet · FortiSwitch Managerversion=7.0.0 <=7.0.2; version=7.2.0 <=7.2.2
Fortinet · FortiProxyversion=1.0.0 <=1.0.7; version=1.0.0 <=2.*; version=1.1.0 <=1.1.6; version=1.2.0 <=1.2.13; version=2.0.0 <=2.0.14; version=7.0.0 <=7.0.10; version=7.0.0 <=7.0.11; version=7.2.0 <=7.2.4; version=7.2.0 <=7.2.5

Published CVSS scores

6.7Fortinet, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-134Use of Externally-Controlled Format String
T1059Command and Scripting Interpreter

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo