CVE-2026-23573 in FortiOS
Summary
by MITRE • 07/14/2026
An Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability [CWE-79] vulnerability in Fortinet FortiOS 7.6.0 through 7.6.6, FortiOS 7.4 all versions, FortiOS 7.2 all versions, FortiPAM 1.8.0, FortiPAM 1.7 all versions, FortiPAM 1.6 all versions, FortiPAM 1.5 all versions, FortiPAM 1.4 all versions, FortiPAM 1.3 all versions, FortiPAM 1.2 all versions, FortiPAM 1.1 all versions, FortiPAM 1.0 all versions, FortiProxy 7.4.0 through 7.4.3, FortiProxy 7.2.0 through 7.2.9 may allow an authenticated remote user to execute code or commands via crafted requests.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/14/2026
This cross-site scripting vulnerability represents a critical weakness in Fortinet's security infrastructure affecting multiple product lines including FortiOS, FortiPAM, and FortiProxy. The flaw exists within the web page generation process where input validation mechanisms fail to properly neutralize malicious payloads before rendering them in web interfaces. This vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses improper neutralization of input during web page generation, making it a classic XSS attack vector that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web applications.
The technical exploitation occurs when authenticated users submit crafted requests containing malicious input that bypasses input sanitization checks within the Fortinet products. These vulnerabilities affect multiple versions across different product lines, indicating a systemic issue in how these applications handle user-supplied data during web content generation. The impact is particularly severe because authenticated access is required, which means an attacker who has already gained credentials can leverage this weakness to execute arbitrary code or commands on the affected systems.
The operational implications of this vulnerability extend beyond simple script injection as it provides a potential pathway for privilege escalation and persistent access within compromised environments. Attackers could use this weakness to establish backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive data, or manipulate system configurations through the web interfaces that these products provide. The widespread nature of affected versions suggests that organizations running any of these Fortinet products may be at risk, particularly those with remote administrative access capabilities.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including thorough input validation and output encoding across all user-facing interfaces within these Fortinet products. Network segmentation and access controls should be reinforced to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Organizations must also conduct comprehensive audits of their Fortinet deployments to identify and patch vulnerable systems. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1566 (Phishing) and T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) techniques as attackers could use it to execute commands through web interfaces. The remediation efforts should include applying official Fortinet patches and updates while implementing additional security monitoring to detect anomalous behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts.