CVE-2023-41675Network attack vector

Unauthenticated WAD process crash via crafted packets

Published Oct 10, 2023 · Updated Sep 18, 2024

Use after free in Fortinet FortiOS and FortiProxy allows remote attackers to crash the WAD process via crafted packets. The WAD process mishandles memory while processing multiple packets that reach proxy-mode policies with SSL deep packet inspection, leaving freed state accessible. No authentication is required, but the attacker must reach an exposed proxy or firewall policy configured for proxy mode and SSL inspection; the bounded impact is a WAD crash and service interruption.

CVSS severity5.3
Medium
EPSS probability1.02%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use after free in Fortinet FortiOS and FortiProxy allows remote attackers to crash the WAD process via crafted packets. The WAD process mishandles memory while processing multiple packets that reach proxy-mode policies with SSL deep packet inspection, leaving freed state accessible. No authentication is required, but the attacker must reach an exposed proxy or firewall policy configured for proxy mode and SSL inspection; the bounded impact is a WAD crash and service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-41675
Published
Oct 10, 2023
Updated
Sep 18, 2024
Vendor
Fortinet
Product
FortiOS
Classifications
CWE-416, T1498
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 10, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 18, 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=7.0.0 <=7.0.10
  2. Affected versionversion=7.2.0 <=7.2.4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Fortinet · FortiOSversion=7.0.0 <=7.0.10; version=7.2.0 <=7.2.4
Fortinet · FortiProxyversion=7.0.0 <=7.0.8; version=7.2.0 <=7.2.2

Published CVSS scores

5.3NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L

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-416Use After Free
T1498Network Denial of Service

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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