CVE-2026-25689 in FortiDeceptor
Summary
by MITRE • 03/10/2026
An improper neutralization of argument delimiters in a command ('argument injection') vulnerability in Fortinet FortiDeceptor 6.2.0, FortiDeceptor 6.0 all versions, FortiDeceptor 5.3 all versions, FortiDeceptor 5.2 all versions, FortiDeceptor 5.1 all versions, FortiDeceptor 5.0 all versions, FortiDeceptor 4.3 all versions, FortiDeceptor 4.2 all versions, FortiDeceptor 4.1 all versions, FortiDeceptor 4.0 all versions may allow a privileged attacker with super-admin profile and CLI access to delete sensitive files via crafted HTTP requests.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/13/2026
The vulnerability CVE-2026-25689 represents a critical command injection flaw in Fortinet FortiDeceptor series devices, specifically affecting multiple versions from 4.0 through 6.2.0. This issue stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the command execution layer, where argument delimiters are not properly neutralized during HTTP request processing. The vulnerability is classified as CWE-77 according to the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of special elements used in command execution. The affected FortiDeceptor versions share a common architectural weakness in their command parsing mechanisms that fails to adequately escape or sanitize user-supplied parameters before they are passed to underlying system commands.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires a privileged attacker possessing a super-admin profile and command-line interface access, indicating that the attack vector is not externally accessible but rather leverages existing administrative credentials. Attackers can craft specially formatted HTTP requests that contain malicious command arguments designed to manipulate the command execution flow. When these requests are processed by the vulnerable FortiDeceptor software, the unescaped argument delimiters allow attackers to inject additional commands or manipulate file system operations. The specific impact described involves unauthorized deletion of sensitive files, which demonstrates the severity of the privilege escalation potential and the direct system compromise capabilities available to authenticated attackers.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to organizations relying on FortiDeceptor for network deception and threat detection services. The ability to delete sensitive files through command injection represents a direct threat to system integrity and data availability, potentially compromising the security infrastructure itself. The attack surface is limited to authenticated administrative users, but this still represents a critical risk since it allows for complete system compromise once administrative credentials are obtained. The vulnerability affects multiple major versions of the FortiDeceptor platform, suggesting a widespread exposure across various deployment scenarios and potentially impacting organizations with legacy systems that have not been updated. This issue aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, specifically targeting legitimate interactive command shells and system utilities through argument injection.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2026-25689 requires immediate patch application from Fortinet to address the root cause in command argument handling. Organizations should implement strict access controls and privilege separation to limit the number of users with super-admin privileges, following the principle of least privilege as recommended by cybersecurity frameworks. Network segmentation and monitoring of administrative access should be enhanced to detect unauthorized command execution attempts. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and input validation controls can provide additional defense-in-depth layers. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other network security appliances. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input sanitization and command execution handling in security appliances, particularly those handling administrative interfaces and system-level operations. Organizations should also consider implementing automated patch management processes to ensure timely remediation of similar vulnerabilities across their network security infrastructure.