# CVE-2021-41028: Hardcoded credentials in Fortinet FortiClientEMS, FortiClientWindows, FortiClientLinux, FortiClientMac

> An attacker can perform a man-in-the-middle attack on telemetry traffic due to hardcoded keys and improper certificate validation in FortiClient and EMS.

- **Severity:** High 8.2 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:H/E:F/RL:U/RC:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 16 Dec 2021
- **Updated:** 25 Oct 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-2p93-h9hw-wqjg

## What is CVE-2021-41028?

CVE-2021-41028 is a high-severity vulnerability in Fortinet Forticlient, published on 16 Dec 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A combination of a use of hard-coded cryptographic key vulnerability [CWE-321] in FortiClientEMS 7.0.1 and below, 6.4.6 and below and an improper certificate validation vulnerability [CWE-297] in FortiClientWindows, FortiClientLinux and FortiClientMac 7.0.1 and below, 6.4.6 and below may allow an unauthenticated and network adjacent attacker to perform a man-in-the-middle attack between the EMS and the FCT via the telemetry protocol.

Weakness: CWE-798 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials), CWE-295 (Improper Certificate Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-41028?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Fortinet Forticlient, Fortinet Forticlient Endpoint Management Server.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-41028?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-41028 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-41028 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-41028 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-2021-41028 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-41028 is a high-severity vulnerability in Fortinet Forticlient, published on 16 Dec 2021. 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-2021-41028 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-2021-41028/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-41028/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-41028
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-41028
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-41028

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-41028/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.