How severe is CVE-2016-4965?

CVE-2016-4965 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2016-4965 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (90th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2016-4965?

CVE-2016-4965 affects Fortinet Fortiwan. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2016-4965?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2016-4965 published?

CVE-2016-4965 was published on 2016-09-21 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2016-4965

CVE-2016-4965 is a high-severity vulnerability in Fortinet Fortiwan with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-78.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.8)
CVSS v2: 9.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 4% (90th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-78
Affected product: Fortinet Fortiwan
Published: 2016-09-21
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Fortinet FortiWan (formerly AscernLink) before 4.2.5 allows remote authenticated users with access to the nslookup functionality to execute arbitrary commands with root privileges via the graph parameter to diagnosis_control.php.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-4965?: Fortinet FortiWan (formerly AscernLink) before 4.2.5 allows remote authenticated users with access to the nslookup functionality to execute arbitrary commands with root privileges via the graph parameter to diagnosis_control.php.
How severe is CVE-2016-4965?: CVE-2016-4965 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2016-4965 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (90th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2016-4965?: CVE-2016-4965 affects Fortinet Fortiwan. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2016-4965?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2016-4965 published?: CVE-2016-4965 was published on 2016-09-21 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:fortinet:fortiwan:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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