How severe is CVE-2018-9195?

CVE-2018-9195 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.9, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.

Is CVE-2018-9195 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (75th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2018-9195?

CVE-2018-9195 primarily affects Fortinet Forticlient. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2018-9195?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2018-9195 published?

CVE-2018-9195 was published on 2019-11-21 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2018-9195

CVE-2018-9195 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Fortinet Forticlient with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.9. 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-798.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.9)
CVSS v2: 4.3
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (75th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-798
Affected product: Fortinet Forticlient
Published: 2019-11-21
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Use of a hardcoded cryptographic key in the FortiGuard services communication protocol may allow a Man in the middle with knowledge of the key to eavesdrop on and modify information (URL/SPAM services in FortiOS 5.6, and URL/SPAM/AV services in FortiOS 6.0.; URL rating in FortiClient) sent and received from Fortiguard severs by decrypting these messages. Affected products include FortiClient for Windows 6.0.6 and below, FortiOS 6.0.7 and below, FortiClient for Mac OS 6.2.1 and below.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-9195?: Use of a hardcoded cryptographic key in the FortiGuard services communication protocol may allow a Man in the middle with knowledge of the key to eavesdrop on and modify information (URL/SPAM services in FortiOS 5.6, and URL/SPAM/AV services in FortiOS 6.0.; URL rating in FortiClient) sent and received from Fortiguard severs by decrypting these messages. Affected products include FortiClient for Windows 6.0.6 and below, FortiOS 6.0.7 and below, FortiClient for Mac OS 6.2.1 and below.
How severe is CVE-2018-9195?: CVE-2018-9195 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.9, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.
Is CVE-2018-9195 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (75th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2018-9195?: CVE-2018-9195 primarily affects Fortinet Forticlient. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-9195?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2018-9195 published?: CVE-2018-9195 was published on 2019-11-21 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://fortiguard.com/advisory/FG-IR-18-100

Affected products (3)

cpe:2.3:a:fortinet:forticlient:*:*:*:*:*:windows:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:fortinet:forticlient:*:*:*:*:*:macos:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:fortinet:fortios:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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