# CVE-2016-4966: Missing authorization in n/a

> Authenticated users can download PCAP files from FortiWan devices due to improper authorization checks on the diagnosis control page.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 21 Sep 2016
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-v79j-4rww-97r8

## What is CVE-2016-4966?

CVE-2016-4966 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in n/a, published on 21 Sep 2016. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The diagnosis_control.php page in Fortinet FortiWan (formerly AscernLink) before 4.2.5 allows remote authenticated users to download PCAP files via vectors related to the UserName GET parameter.

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-4966?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Fortinet Fortiwan.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-4966?

No fix has been published for CVE-2016-4966 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2016-4966 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-4966 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2021-26102](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-26102/): Path traversal in FortiWAN (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-26114](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-26114/): SQL injection in Fortinet FortiWAN (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-4965](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4965/): Command injection in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2023-44252](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-44252/): Auth bypass in FortiWAN (high 8.6)
- [CVE-2023-44251](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-44251/): Path traversal in FortiWAN (high 8.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-4966 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-4966 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in n/a, published on 21 Sep 2016. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-4966 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2016-4966/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4966/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-4966
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-4966
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-4966

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4966/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.