CVE-2023-48788 — Fortinet Forticlient Enterprise Management Server
CISA KEVRansomwareAs of 2025-10-24, CVE-2023-48788 is a CRITICAL-severity vulnerability in Fortinet Forticlient Enterprise Management Server, CVSS v3.1 9.8, EPSS 94.1% (99.9th percentile). It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (added 2024-03-25), with a US federal remediation deadline of 2024-04-15, and CISA links it to known ransomware campaigns. Threadlinqs Intelligence links 2 tracked threat campaigns to CVE-2023-48788, most recently “FortiBleed: Mass Credential Compromise Campaign Against Internet-Exposed Fortinet FortiGate Devices (86,644 Devices, 194 Countries)”.
Last updated: 2025-10-24
What is CVE-2023-48788?
A improper neutralization of special elements used in an sql command ('sql injection') in Fortinet FortiClientEMS version 7.2.0 through 7.2.2, FortiClientEMS 7.0.1 through 7.0.10 allows attacker to execute unauthorized code or commands via specially crafted packets.
The record classifies CVE-2023-48788 under weakness class CWE-89. Its CVSS v3 base vector states that the flaw is reachable remotely over the network, needs no prior authentication, needs no user interaction, and has high impact on confidentiality, integrity, availability. 1 affected-product entry is recorded, across 1 vendor, listed below. The identifier was first published 914 days ago.
Severity and exploitation probability
- CVSS v3.1 base score
- 9.8 — CRITICAL
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - EPSS (FIRST)
- 94.1% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 99.9% of all scored CVEs
- CISA KEV
- Listed since 2024-03-25, federal remediation deadline 2024-04-15 — used in known ransomware campaigns
- Threadlinqs priority
- 10/10 — CISA lists it as used in ransomware, which Threadlinqs scores at the maximum
- Published
- 2024-03-12, last modified 2025-10-24
Is CVE-2023-48788 being exploited?
CISA added CVE-2023-48788 to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2024-03-25, which means the agency holds evidence of exploitation in the wild; US federal civilian agencies had to remediate it by 2024-04-15 under BOD 22-01. CISA flags the vulnerability as one used in known ransomware campaigns. It currently carries a trending score of 40 in the Threadlinqs vulnerability feed.
Affected products and versions
- Fortinet: Forticlient Enterprise Management Server
How to fix CVE-2023-48788
The record marks a vendor fix as available for CVE-2023-48788. Patch reference: https://www.fortiguard.com/psirt/FG-IR-24-007. Vendor advisory: https://fortiguard.com/psirt/FG-IR-24-007. Because CVE-2023-48788 is KEV-listed, US federal civilian agencies were required to apply the vendor fix, or stop using the product, by 2024-04-15. Apply the vendor fix referenced above to every affected product listed in this record, then confirm the running version against the vendor advisory.
Threat activity tracking CVE-2023-48788
2 tracked threats in the Threadlinqs corpus reference CVE-2023-48788, either in the campaign’s CVE list or as an indicator on the campaign record.
- FortiBleed: Mass Credential Compromise Campaign Against Internet-Exposed Fortinet FortiGate Devices (86,644 Devices, 194 Countries) — CRITICAL · 2026-07-11
- INC Ransom Affiliate Network Targeting Pacific Critical Infrastructure (AU/NZ/Tonga Joint Advisory) — CRITICAL · 2026-03-09
Sources
Seeded from nvd and not yet processed by the Threadlinqs enrichment pipeline, so blank CVSS, EPSS or KEV fields above mean NOT MEASURED rather than measured-absent.
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