# CVE-2020-9294: Auth bypass in FortiMail

> Remote unauthenticated attackers can bypass authentication and access the system as a legitimate user via a password change request.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 27 Apr 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-cg58-vw2q-jv22

## What is CVE-2020-9294?

CVE-2020-9294 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Fortinet FortiMail, published on 27 Apr 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An improper authentication vulnerability in FortiMail 5.4.10, 6.0.7, 6.2.2 and earlier and FortiVoiceEntreprise 6.0.0 and 6.0.1 may allow a remote unauthenticated attacker to access the system as a legitimate user by requesting a password change via the user interface.

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-9294?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Fortinet Fortimail, Fortinet Fortivoice.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-9294?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-9294 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-9294 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2020-9294 exists.

Public exploit code:

- FortiMail Unauthenticated Login Bypass Scanner (metasploit)

## Other vulnerabilities in Fortinet FortiMail

- [CVE-2026-104286](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-104286/): Fortinet FortiMail Path Traversal (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-36166](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-36166/): Auth bypass in Fortinet FortiMail (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-24007](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24007/): SQL injection in Fortinet FortiMail (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-47539](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-47539/): Auth bypass in FortiMail (critical 9.0)
- [CVE-2021-24013](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24013/): Path traversal in Fortinet FortiMail (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-9294 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-9294 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Fortinet FortiMail, published on 27 Apr 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2020-9294 exists.

Affected product: Fortinet FortiMail. 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-2020-9294/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-9294/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-9294
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-9294
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-9294

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-9294/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.