# CVE-2018-9191: Privilege escalation in Fortinet FortiClient for Windows

> Local attackers can execute unauthorized code and escalate privileges via the FortiClient update named pipe.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 30 May 2019
- **Updated:** 25 Oct 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-3c4j-chc9-8m6m

## What is CVE-2018-9191?

CVE-2018-9191 is a high-severity vulnerability in Fortinet Forticlient, published on 30 May 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A local privilege escalation in Fortinet FortiClient for Windows 6.0.4 and earlier allows attackers to execute unauthorized code or commands via the named pipe responsible for Forticlient updates.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-9191?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Fortinet Forticlient.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-9191?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-9191 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-9191 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-9191 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-2018-9191 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-9191 is a high-severity vulnerability in Fortinet Forticlient, published on 30 May 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-9191 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-2018-9191/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-9191/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-9191
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-9191
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-9191

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-9191/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.