# CVE-2016-3978: Cross-site scripting in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute cross-site scripting or redirect users via the login page, enabling phishing attacks against FortiOS administrators.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.1 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 8 Apr 2016
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8cv6-hp47-6h2g

## What is CVE-2016-3978?

CVE-2016-3978 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Fortinet Fortios, published on 8 Apr 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

The Web User Interface (WebUI) in FortiOS 5.0.x before 5.0.13, 5.2.x before 5.2.3, and 5.4.x before 5.4.0 allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks or cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks via the "redirect" parameter to "login."

Weakness: CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-3978?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Fortinet Fortios.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-3978?

No fix has been published for CVE-2016-3978 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2016-3978 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2016-3978 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Fortinet FortiOS - Open Redirect/Cross-Site Scripting (nuclei): http/cves/2016/CVE-2016-3978.yaml

## Other vulnerabilities in Fortinet Fortios

- [CVE-2024-23113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-23113/): Fortinet Multiple Products Format String (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-40684](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-40684/): Fortinet Multiple Products Authentication Bypass (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-55591](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-55591/): Fortinet FortiOS and FortiProxy Authentication Bypass (critical 9.6, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-21762](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-21762/): Fortinet FortiOS Out-of-Bound Write (critical 9.6, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-42475](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-42475/): Fortinet FortiOS Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (critical 9.3, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-3978 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-3978 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Fortinet Fortios, published on 8 Apr 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2016-3978 exists.

Affected product: Fortinet Fortios. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-3978/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-3978/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-3978
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-3978
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-3978

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-3978/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.