# CVE-2023-36556: Missing authorization in FortiMail

> An authenticated attacker can log into other users' accounts within the same domain via crafted requests, requiring an upgrade to FortiMail.

- **Severity:** High 8.6 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:F/RL:X/RC:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 10 Oct 2023
- **Updated:** 16 Dec 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-j5v9-j38h-gcff

## What is CVE-2023-36556?

CVE-2023-36556 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Fortinet FortiMail, published on 10 Oct 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An incorrect authorization vulnerability [CWE-863] in FortiMail webmail version 7.2.0 through 7.2.2, version 7.0.0 through 7.0.5 and below 6.4.7 allows an authenticated attacker to login on other users accounts from the same web domain via crafted HTTP or HTTPs requests.

Weakness: CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-36556?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Fortinet Fortimail.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-36556?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-36556 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-36556 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-36556 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## 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-2020-9294](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-9294/): Auth bypass in FortiMail (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-47539](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-47539/): Auth bypass in FortiMail (critical 9.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-36556 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-36556 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Fortinet FortiMail, published on 10 Oct 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-36556 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2023-36556/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-36556/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-36556
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-36556
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-36556

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-36556/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.