# CVE-2019-6693: Fortinet FortiOS Use of Hard-Coded Credentials

> Attackers with backup file access can decrypt sensitive data like user passwords and private keys using a hard-coded cryptographic key.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 25 Jun 2025 (CISA KEV), used in ransomware
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 21 Nov 2019
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-hx92-84x6-67mx

## What is CVE-2019-6693?

CVE-2019-6693 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Fortinet Fortios, published on 21 Nov 2019. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Use of a hard-coded cryptographic key to cipher sensitive data in FortiOS configuration backup file may allow an attacker with access to the backup file to decipher the sensitive data, via knowledge of the hard-coded key. The aforementioned sensitive data includes users' passwords (except the administrator's password), private keys' passphrases and High Availability password (when set).

Weakness: CWE-798 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-6693?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Fortinet Fortios.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-6693?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-6693 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 16 Jul 2025.

## Is CVE-2019-6693 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2019-6693 in the wild since at least 25 Jun 2025, including in ransomware campaigns.

Public exploit code:

- An authorized remote user with access or knowledge of the standard encryption key can gain access and decrypt the FortiOS backup files and all non-administator passwords, private keys and High Availability passwords. (github_poc): https://github.com/saladandonionrings/cve-2019-6693
- Decrypt reversible secrets encrypted using the default hardcoded key related to CVE-2020-9289 on FortiAnalyzer/FortiManager (the only difference with CVE-2019-6693 is the encryption routine). (github_poc): https://github.com/synacktiv/CVE-2020-9289
- Decrypt FortiGate configuration secrets (github_poc): https://github.com/gquere/CVE-2019-6693
- https://github.com/Real4XoR/CVE-2019-6693 (github_poc): https://github.com/Real4XoR/CVE-2019-6693

## 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-2019-6693 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-6693 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Fortinet Fortios, published on 21 Nov 2019. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2019-6693 in the wild since at least 25 Jun 2025, including in ransomware campaigns.

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-2019-6693/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-6693/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-6693
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-6693
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-6693

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-6693/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.