CVE-2023-42785Network attack vector

Authenticated service interruption via crafted HTTP request

Published Jan 14, 2025 · Updated Jan 14, 2025

Null pointer dereference in Fortinet FortiOS allows remote authenticated users to interrupt service with a crafted HTTP request. Fortinet has not disclosed which HTTP request handler dereferences the null pointer or which crafted field reaches it. Low-privileged authentication and network access to the affected HTTP interface are required; Fortinet has not specified whether the interruption crashes a process, reboots the appliance, or requires manual recovery.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.71%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Null pointer dereference in Fortinet FortiOS allows remote authenticated users to interrupt service with a crafted HTTP request. Fortinet has not disclosed which HTTP request handler dereferences the null pointer or which crafted field reaches it. Low-privileged authentication and network access to the affected HTTP interface are required; Fortinet has not specified whether the interruption crashes a process, reboots the appliance, or requires manual recovery.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-42785
Published
Jan 14, 2025
Updated
Jan 14, 2025
Vendor
Fortinet
Product
FortiOS
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 14, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 14, 2025Record 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=6.0.0 <=6.0.18
  2. Affected versionversion=6.2.0 <=6.2.16
  3. Affected versionversion=6.4.0 <=6.4.15
  4. Affected versionversion=7.0.0 <=7.0.16
  5. Affected versionversion=7.2.0 <=7.2.5
  6. Affected versionversion=7.4.0 <=7.4.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Fortinet · FortiOSversion=6.0.0 <=6.0.18; version=6.2.0 <=6.2.16; version=6.4.0 <=6.4.15; version=7.0.0 <=7.0.16; version=7.2.0 <=7.2.5; version=7.4.0 <=7.4.1

Published CVSS scores

6.5FortinetCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service: Application 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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