Evidence used
- No CISA KEV confirmation is currently recorded.
- Exploitation requires an existing local or physical foothold with privileges.
- EPSS is 0.77% for the current model date.
BlackTreeCVE IntelligenceFull vulnerability report · 2024
CVE-2023-48784High confidence
Fortinet FortiOS — Use of Externally-Controlled Format String
Fortinet · FortiOS
Official source article: Siemens SSA-832273 ↗. Check the applicable product and release in the original source.
6.1MediumCVSS 3.1
Patch only the product branches with a verified fix
Fix availability varies by productMedium technical severity with no CISA KEV confirmation; remediate through the normal risk-based patch cycle unless local exposure raises the priority. Verified remediation exists for at least one product or source, but 1 structured product or package state remain unresolved. Apply remediation only to the exact product branch confirmed by its source.
R
Open reassessment dashboard →Operational reassessment
Published severity in operational context
Published severityMedium→Operational priority:Low, lowered one band.downgradedsince 2 Aug 2024
Compensating controls
- Validate the affected product branch and deploy the verified fixed release.
- Restrict local access and enforce least privilege on affected hosts.
- Monitor vendor guidance and exploitation sources for a material change.
Verification
- Confirm that the asset runs Fortinet FortiOS and falls inside the recorded affected range.
- Verify the installed build against the product-specific fixed version after deployment.
- Validate exposure, authentication requirements and compensating controls in the actual environment.
- Reopen this reassessment when CVSS, KEV, EPSS, exploit evidence or remediation changes.
Remediation availability differs by product scope
Verified remediation exists for at least one product or source, but 1 structured product or package state remain unresolved. Apply remediation only to the exact product branch confirmed by its source.
- Siemens ProductCERT: 1 affected or under-investigation product state without a fixed product state in the same current advisory
Direct vendor intelligence
1 currentAuthoritative vendor CSAF and VEX advisories
Structured product status and remediation from the issuing vendor. Product-state explanations are always visible; large lists can be searched or downloaded.
SSA-832273 · CSAF 2.0 · revision 12 · finalSiemens ProductCERTSSA-832273: Multiple Vulnerabilities in Fortigate NGFW Before V7.4.3 on RUGGEDCOM APE1808 Devices
The vendor explicitly identifies these products as affected by this CVE.
- RUGGEDCOM APE1808
- Summary
- A use of externally-controlled format string vulnerability [CWE-134] in FortiOS version 7.4.1 and below, version 7.2.7 and below, version 7.0.14 and below, version 6.4.15 and below command line interface may allow a local privileged attacker with super-admin profile and CLI access to execute arbitrary code or commands via specially crafted requests.
- Remediation
- Update Fortigate NGFW to V7.4.3. Contact customer support to receive patch and update information.
Medium technical severity with no CISA KEV confirmation; remediate through the normal risk-based patch cycle unless local exposure raises the priority. Verified remediation exists for at least one product or source, but 1 structured product or package state remain unresolved. Apply remediation only to the exact product branch confirmed by its source.
Fix availability varies by product01
What, why and how
A use of externally-controlled format string vulnerability [CWE-134] in FortiOS version 7.4.1 and below, version 7.2.7 and below, 7.0 all versions, 6.4 all versions command line interface may allow a local privileged attacker with super-admin profile and CLI access to execute arbitrary code or commands via specially crafted requests.
What
A use of externally-controlled format string vulnerability [CWE-134] in FortiOS version 7.4.1 and below, version 7.2.7 and below, 7.0 all versions, 6.4 all versions command line interface may allow a local privileged attacker with super-admin profile and CLI access to execute arbitrary code or commands via specially crafted requests.
Why
The product uses a function that accepts a format string as an argument, but the format string originates from an external source.
How
An attacker operating through local access may attempt exploitation with elevated privileges. If successful, the issue may execute code or commands in the affected security context.
What
A use of externally-controlled format string vulnerability [CWE-134] in FortiOS version 7.4.1 and below, version 7.2.7 and below, 7.0 all versions, 6.4 all versions command line interface may allow a local privileged attacker with super-admin profile and CLI access to execute arbitrary code or commands via specially crafted requests.
Why
The product uses a function that accepts a format string as an argument, but the format string originates from an external source.
How
An attacker operating through local access may attempt exploitation with elevated privileges. If successful, the issue may execute code or commands in the affected security context.
02
Exploit reality and attack path
CVSS severity, EPSS forecast probability, public exploit material and CISA-confirmed exploitation are separate signals.
Observed exploitation No confirmed evidence
?
Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.No CISA KEV match was present at the last successful refresh. This means no confirmation from that source, not proof of no exploitation.
Public PoC / exploit material None recorded
?
Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.No exploit-tagged reference or CISA SSVC proof-of-concept state is currently recorded. Research may still exist outside the structured feeds.
- Likely attack path
- local access → Use of Externally-Controlled Format String → execute code or commands in the affected security context
- Attack surface
- Local
- Privileges required
- High: elevated access is required
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low: no specialised conditions are recorded
- Security boundary
- Unchanged: impact remains within the vulnerable component's security authority
- Weakness
?
CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness. - CWE-134 ↗
CWE-134: Use of Externally-Controlled Format String. The product uses a function that accepts a format string as an argument, but the format string originates from an external source.
- CVSS vector
?
CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity. CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:P/RL:X/RC:RCommon Vulnerability Scoring System 3.1: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.
AVLocalAttack vector: The attacker needs local access to the vulnerable system.ACLowAttack complexity: No specialised conditions are required beyond attacker-controlled input.PRHighPrivileges required: The attacker needs elevated or administrative privileges.UINoneUser interaction: No action by another user is required.SUnchangedScope: The security impact remains within the vulnerable component's authority.CHighConfidentiality impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.IHighIntegrity impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.AHighAvailability impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.- Post-exploitation / living off the land
- After compromise, an attacker may use built-in shells, scripting engines, scheduled tasks and native network utilities for discovery, persistence or movement. This is a plausible LoTL path, not evidence that it has occurred for every attack.
03
Patch and workaround
Operational remediation based on structured source evidence.
- Status
?
Patch availability is based on structured fixed-version fields and authoritative update references. If no fix is verified, check the vendor advisory before making a change. - Fix availability varies by product
- Affected
- RUGGEDCOM APE1808
- Fixed
- Action
- Use the product-specific evidence above. Patch only products with a verified fixed release, and keep every affected or under-investigation state without a matching fix in the remediation queue.
- Workaround
- No verified workaround is recorded. Limit untrusted access and use least privilege until authoritative guidance is available.
04
Evidence and provenance
Published 9 Apr 2024 · Last source change 2 Aug 2024, 21:37 UTC · CWE-134 · Use of Externally-Controlled Format String
CVE recordCVE.org · 5.1
CVSS sourceCNA
EPSS source FIRST · tracked since 2026-08-14
?
The date BlackTree first stored a score for this CVE from the daily FIRST EPSS feed.European sourceENISA EUVD · EUVD-2023-52817
Product sourceVendor CSAF · Siemens ProductCERT
Remediation sourceVendor CSAF · Siemens ProductCERT
CWE sourceCNA
NVD statusNVD enriched
Core structured fields are present and their contributing authorities are shown above.
Material change intelligence
View recent updates ↗What changed after publication
- Remediation statusRemediation status changed from Awaiting fix to Mitigation available.Siemens ProductCERT ↗
- Before
- Awaiting fix
- After
- Mitigation available
Technical terms and abbreviations used in this report
- CVE
- Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures: the public identifier for one disclosed vulnerability.
- CVSS
- Common Vulnerability Scoring System: a technical severity framework; it is not patching priority by itself.
- EPSS
- Exploit Prediction Scoring System: FIRST's estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days; it is a forecast, not confirmation.
- CWE
- Common Weakness Enumeration: the standard category describing the underlying software or hardware weakness.
- CNA
- CVE Numbering Authority: an organisation authorised to assign and publish CVE records.
- CISA ADP
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Authorized Data Publisher: structured enrichment added to a CVE record.
- NVD
- National Vulnerability Database: NIST's enrichment service for CVE records.
- CERT / CSIRT
- A computer security incident response team that publishes warnings or coordinates incident response.
- PoC
- Proof of concept: public material that demonstrates or helps reproduce exploitation.
- CSAF
- Common Security Advisory Framework: a machine-readable format for security advisories.
- LoTL
- Living off the land: abuse of legitimate tools or system functions during an attack.