# CVE-2017-17543: Weak cryptography in FortiClient SSLVPN Client for Linux

> Attackers can decrypt stored VPN credentials due to weak encryption, potentially leading to account takeover.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 26 Apr 2018
- **Updated:** 25 Oct 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-94g8-mrxq-q59c

## What is CVE-2017-17543?

CVE-2017-17543 is a high-severity vulnerability in Fortinet Forticlient, published on 26 Apr 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Users' VPN authentication credentials are unsafely encrypted in Fortinet FortiClient for Windows 5.6.0 and below versions, FortiClient for Mac OSX 5.6.0 and below versions and FortiClient SSLVPN Client for Linux 4.4.2335 and below versions, due to the use of a static encryption key and weak encryption algorithms.

Weakness: CWE-326 (Inadequate Encryption Strength)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-17543?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Fortinet Forticlient, Fortinet Forticlient Sslvpn Client.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-17543?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-17543 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-17543 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-17543 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Fortinet Forticlient

- [CVE-2019-17658](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-17658/): Privilege escalation in Fortinet FortiClientWindows (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-45590](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-45590/): Code injection in FortiClientLinux (critical 9.4)
- [CVE-2017-14184](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-14184/): Information disclosure in FortiClient SSLVPN Client for Linux (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2016-8493](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-8493/): Privilege escalation in Fortinet FortiClient (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-15934](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-15934/): Privilege escalation in FortiClientLinux (high 8.6)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-17543 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-17543 is a high-severity vulnerability in Fortinet Forticlient, published on 26 Apr 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-17543 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Fortinet Forticlient. 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-2017-17543/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-17543/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-17543
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-17543
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-17543

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-17543/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.