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Mallory
CriticalCISA KEVExploited in the wildPublic exploit

Unauthenticated SQL Injection RCE in Fortinet FortiClient EMS

IdentifiersCVE-2026-21643CWE-89· Improper Neutralization of Special…Also known asfg_ir_25_1142

CVE-2026-21643 is a critical SQL injection vulnerability in Fortinet FortiClient Enterprise Management Server (EMS). The provided content identifies the flaw as an improper neutralization of special elements used in an SQL command and states it affects the FortiClient EMS administrative interface, with multiple references specifically calling out version 7.4.4 and broader reporting indicating affected 7.4.x releases up to the fixed build. Technical analysis cited in the content attributes the issue to improper input validation in middleware handling of the HTTP Site header before database connection setup. According to that analysis, attacker-controlled Site header data is used to construct a PostgreSQL search_path value without sufficient sanitization, enabling pre-authentication SQL injection via crafted HTTP requests. Successful exploitation can lead to unauthorized code or command execution on the EMS server. The vulnerability has been reported as actively exploited in the wild and was added to CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

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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.

The impact is critical. An unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit the vulnerable EMS web interface to execute unauthorized SQL statements and achieve unauthorized code or command execution on the FortiClient EMS server. Because EMS is a centralized endpoint management platform, compromise can expose sensitive databases, alter EMS configuration, create or modify administrative state, push malicious changes to managed endpoint security policies, deploy secondary payloads, and provide a foothold for broader enterprise compromise. The content also notes active exploitation in the wild, increasing operational risk for exposed systems.

Mitigation

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

If immediate patching is not possible, restrict FortiClient EMS management access to trusted internal networks only, place any remote administrative access behind a VPN, and reduce internet exposure of the EMS web interface. The content also states that disabling multitenancy can prevent the vulnerable Site-header code path from being exercised, providing a temporary mitigation. Defenders should additionally monitor for unusual activity involving the /api/v1/init_consts endpoint, HTTP 500 responses associated with exploitation attempts, unexpected configuration changes, unauthorized accounts, privilege escalation, and suspicious processes spawned by EMS services.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Upgrade FortiClient EMS to a fixed version. The content states the fix path for vulnerable 7.4.4 deployments is to move to 7.4.5 or later, and other reporting recommends updating to the latest available EMS release rather than remaining on older 7.4.x builds. Where applicable, apply Fortinet hotfixes referenced in PSIRT guidance for supported versions. Given the active exploitation status, remediation should be treated as urgent.
PUBLIC EXPLOITS

Exploits

No valid public exploits. Mallory filtered out 3 candidates as fakes, detection scripts, or README-only repos.

VALID 0 / 3 TOTALView more in app

All candidate exploits were filtered out by Mallory's validation.

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
FortinetForticlientemsapplication

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What this page doesn’t show

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Exposure mapping

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Threat actor evidence

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Associated malware

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Detection signatures2

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Vendor-by-vendor mapping

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

Social activity109

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