CVE-2024-40584: Fortinet FortiManager Cloud RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2024-40584 Overview

CVE-2024-40584 is an OS command injection vulnerability [CWE-78] affecting the GUI of multiple Fortinet management products. The flaw permits an authenticated privileged attacker to execute unauthorized code or commands through crafted HTTPS or HTTP requests. Affected products include Fortinet FortiAnalyzer, FortiManager, FortiAnalyzer BigData, FortiAnalyzer Cloud, and FortiManager Cloud across versions spanning the 6.2, 6.4, 7.0, 7.2, and 7.4 release trains. The vulnerability requires high privileges but no user interaction and is exploitable over the network.

Critical Impact
An authenticated privileged attacker can execute arbitrary OS commands on FortiAnalyzer or FortiManager appliances, leading to full compromise of the centralized security management plane.

Affected Products

Fortinet FortiAnalyzer versions 6.2.2–6.2.13, 6.4.0–6.4.15, 7.0.0–7.0.13, 7.2.0–7.2.5, 7.4.0–7.4.3 and FortiAnalyzer BigData 6.2.5, 6.4.5–6.4.7, 7.0.1–7.0.6, 7.2.0–7.2.7, 7.4.0
Fortinet FortiManager versions 6.2.2–6.2.13, 6.4.0–6.4.15, 7.0.0–7.0.13, 7.2.0–7.2.5, 7.4.0–7.4.3
Fortinet FortiAnalyzer Cloud 6.4.1–6.4.7, 7.0.1–7.0.13, 7.2.1–7.2.5, 7.4.1–7.4.3 and FortiManager Cloud 6.4.1–6.4.7, 7.0.1–7.0.13, 7.2.1–7.2.5, 7.4.1–7.4.3

Discovery Timeline

2025-02-11 - CVE-2024-40584 published to the NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-40584

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in the web-based GUI of Fortinet FortiAnalyzer and FortiManager products. Input passed via crafted HTTPS or HTTP requests reaches an OS command interpreter without proper neutralization of shell metacharacters. An authenticated attacker with high privileges on the management appliance can inject additional shell operators into a command context and execute arbitrary commands under the privileges of the GUI backend.

Because FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer serve as centralized control and log-aggregation planes for Fortinet fleets, code execution on these devices can be pivoted into policy tampering, credential theft, and lateral access to managed FortiGate devices. The impact covers confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected appliance.

Root Cause

The underlying defect is improper neutralization of special elements used in an OS command [CWE-78]. A GUI-exposed handler constructs a system command by concatenating attacker-influenced parameters without sanitizing shell metacharacters such as ;, |, `, or $(). As a result, a privileged authenticated user can break out of the intended command argument and append arbitrary commands.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires network access to the FortiAnalyzer or FortiManager administrative GUI and valid credentials for a privileged administrative account. The attacker submits a crafted HTTP or HTTPS request to the vulnerable GUI endpoint containing injected shell syntax within a parameter that is subsequently passed to the OS. No user interaction is required. Fortinet's advisory FG-IR-24-220 provides the vendor's remediation guidance. Full technical exploitation details have not been publicly released and no public proof-of-concept exploit is available at the time of writing. The current EPSS score is 1.97%.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-40584

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected child processes spawned by the FortiAnalyzer or FortiManager GUI backend, particularly shells such as sh or bash invoking wget, curl, nc, or file writes to non-standard paths.
HTTP or HTTPS requests to administrative GUI endpoints containing shell metacharacters (;, |, `, $(), &&) in parameter values.
New or modified administrative accounts, scheduled tasks, or SSH authorized keys on the appliance that do not correspond to authorized change tickets.

Detection Strategies

Review GUI and audit logs for privileged administrator sessions issuing unusual sequences of configuration operations followed by system-level activity.
Correlate authentication events with process execution telemetry from the appliance to identify command execution not tied to legitimate workflows.
Alert on outbound network connections initiated by FortiAnalyzer or FortiManager to non-Fortinet destinations, especially after administrative authentication.

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward FortiAnalyzer and FortiManager audit, event, and system logs to a centralized SIEM for anomaly detection and long-term retention.
Restrict management-plane access to a dedicated administrative network segment and monitor all inbound HTTPS traffic to the GUI.
Baseline normal administrator behavior and alert on deviations such as off-hours logins from new source addresses.

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-40584

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade FortiAnalyzer, FortiManager, and their BigData and Cloud variants to fixed versions as specified in the Fortinet Security Advisory FG-IR-24-220.
Audit privileged administrator accounts on affected appliances, rotate credentials, and remove unused or shared accounts.
Restrict GUI access to trusted management networks using trusted-host settings and network ACLs.

Patch Information

Fortinet has published remediation guidance in advisory FG-IR-24-220. Administrators should consult the advisory for the specific fixed builds within the 6.2.x, 6.4.x, 7.0.x, 7.2.x, and 7.4.x branches and apply the corresponding upgrade to every affected FortiAnalyzer, FortiManager, FortiAnalyzer BigData, FortiAnalyzer Cloud, and FortiManager Cloud instance.

Workarounds

Limit administrative GUI access to a small set of trusted source IP addresses using the trusted hosts feature on each administrator profile until patches are applied.
Enforce least privilege for administrator profiles so that day-to-day operators do not hold the high privileges required to reach the vulnerable code path.
Require multi-factor authentication for all administrative accounts on FortiAnalyzer and FortiManager to raise the bar against credential-based exploitation.

bash

# Configuration example: restrict admin access to trusted hosts on FortiManager/FortiAnalyzer
config system admin user
    edit "admin"
        set trusthost1 10.10.10.0 255.255.255.0
        set trusthost2 192.168.100.5 255.255.255.255
    next
end