Hard-coded credentials in Fortinet FortiClient for Windows
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · None · None
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-798.
Summary
Use of a hard-coded cryptographic key to encrypt security sensitive data in local storage and configuration in FortiClient for Windows prior to 6.4.0 may allow an attacker with access to the local storage or the configuration backup file to decrypt the sensitive data via knowledge of the hard-coded key.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Fortinet FortiClient for Windows | FortiClient for Windows below 6.4.0 | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- Fortinet FortiClient for Windows Vendor— Affected FortiClient for Windows below 6.4.0 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2019-16150
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-mvwj-8rw2-6r9x
References
More Fortinet Forticlient vulnerabilities
- TI-2019-13180 An unquoted service path vulnerability in the FortiClient FortiTray component of… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2023-24393 Code injection in Fortinet FortiClientLinux CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.4
- TI-2017-10335 Information disclosure in Fortinet FortiClient for Windows CVSS 3.0HIGH 8.8
- TI-2016-06998 In FortiClientWindows 5.4.1 and 5.4.2, an attacker may escalate privilege via a FortiClientNamedPipe vulnerability. CVSS 3.0HIGH 8.8
- TI-2019-03954 Untrusted search path in Fortinet FortiClientWindows CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.6
- TI-2017-05007 A privilege escalation in Fortinet FortiClient Windows 5.4.3 and earlier as well as 5.6.0… CVSS 3.0HIGH 8.1
Sources
- CVE-2019-16150 · CVE Program
- CVE-2019-16150 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-mvwj-8rw2-6r9x · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences