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HighCISA KEVExploited in the wildPublic exploit

Unauthenticated SSL VPN User Password Change in Fortinet FortiOS/FortiProxy

IdentifiersCVE-2018-13382CWE-285

CVE-2018-13382 is an improper authorization flaw in the SSL VPN web portal component of Fortinet FortiOS and FortiProxy. Affected versions are FortiOS 6.0.0 through 6.0.4, 5.6.0 through 5.6.8, and 5.4.1 through 5.4.10, and FortiProxy 2.0.0, 1.2.0 through 1.2.8, 1.1.0 through 1.1.6, and 1.0.0 through 1.0.7. The vulnerability allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to modify the password of an SSL VPN web portal user by sending specially crafted HTTP requests to the SSL VPN interface. Supporting reporting also notes a likely indicator of compromise as an HTTP POST request to /remote/logincheck with a magic parameter set. Public exploit tooling was reportedly released, and the flaw has been cited in government advisories as one of the network device vulnerabilities frequently exploited in the wild.

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ANALYST BRIEF

Impact, mitigation & remediation

What it means. What to do now. Patch path, mitigations, and the assume-compromise checklist.

Impact

What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.

Successful exploitation allows a remote unauthenticated attacker to reset or change the password of an SSL VPN user account. This can lead to unauthorized VPN access under the victim account, compromise of confidentiality and integrity of resources reachable through the VPN, and follow-on intrusion activity using valid credentials. Because the target is a VPN appliance, exploitation can provide a direct path into internal network environments and may facilitate persistence, lateral movement, and broader compromise of enterprise infrastructure.

Mitigation

If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.

If immediate patching is not possible, disable the Fortinet SSL VPN web portal to remove the exposed attack surface. Restrict internet exposure of management and VPN interfaces where operationally feasible, enforce MFA for VPN access, monitor for suspicious HTTP POST requests to /remote/logincheck involving the magic parameter, and review authentication logs for anomalous password changes or unexpected VPN logins. Additional defensive measures include limiting access to the SSL VPN service to trusted source ranges and increasing logging and alerting around VPN account administration events.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Upgrade affected FortiOS and FortiProxy installations to vendor-fixed releases outside the vulnerable version ranges. The supporting content states that Fortinet released patches for all known affected FortiOS versions. After patching, administrators should reset passwords for SSL VPN users and administrative accounts that may have been exposed or altered, review VPN and appliance logs for indicators of compromise, and investigate for unauthorized account changes or suspicious VPN sessions.
PUBLIC EXPLOITS

Exploits

2 valid exploits after Mallory filtered fakes, detection scripts, and README-only repos (1 hidden).

VALID 2 / 3 TOTALView more in app
CVE-2018-13382MaturityPoCVerified exploit

This repository contains a Python exploit script (CVE-2018-13382.py) targeting Fortinet Fortigate devices vulnerable to CVE-2018-13382. The exploit leverages a password reset bypass vulnerability by sending crafted HTTPS POST requests to the /remote/logincheck endpoint with a special 'magic' keyword. The script allows an attacker to specify a target IP, username, and new password, then attempts to change the password for the specified user and verify the new credentials. The code disables SSL warnings, uses a random user agent, and provides colored terminal output for status messages. The repository also includes a minimal README. The main entry point is the CVE-2018-13382.py script, which is operational and provides a working exploit for the vulnerability.

cojobenDisclosed Feb 26, 2025pythonnetwork
CVE-2018-13382MaturityPoCVerified exploit

This repository contains a Python exploit script (CVE-2018-13382.py) and a README.md for CVE-2018-13382, a critical vulnerability in Fortinet FortiOS SSL VPN web portals. The exploit targets FortiGate devices running vulnerable versions of FortiOS (6.0.0 to 6.0.4, 5.6.0 to 5.6.8, 5.4.1 to 5.4.10) and allows an unauthenticated attacker to change the password of any user by sending a specially crafted HTTP POST request to the /remote/logincheck endpoint. The script first verifies the target is a FortiGate device, attempts to change the password using a 'magic' parameter, and then tests the new credentials. The README provides usage instructions and references the original vulnerability research. The main attack vector is network-based, exploiting exposed HTTPS endpoints on the target device.

milo2012Disclosed Aug 11, 2019pythonnetwork
EXPOSURE SURFACE

Affected products & vendors

Products and vendors Mallory has correlated with this vulnerability. Open in Mallory to drill down to specific CPE configurations and version ranges.

VendorProductType
FortinetFortiosoperating_system
FortinetFortiproxyapplication

Vendor-confirmed product mapping. Mallory continuously reconciles this list against your asset inventory.

ACTIVITY FEED

Recent activity

2 sources tracked across advisories, community write-ups, and news. New activity surfaces here as Mallory finds it.

What this page doesn’t show

The version that knows your environment.

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Exposure mapping

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Threat actor evidence1

Every observed campaign linking this CVE to a named adversary.

Associated malware

Malware families riding this exploit, with evidence and IOCs.

Detection signatures1

YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.

Vendor-by-vendor mapping

Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.

Social activity

Community discussion across Reddit, Mastodon, and other social sources.