How severe is CVE-2020-9294?

CVE-2020-9294 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2020-9294 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 78% (100th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-9294?

CVE-2020-9294 primarily affects Fortinet Fortimail. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-9294?

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

When was CVE-2020-9294 published?

CVE-2020-9294 was published on 2020-04-27 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-9294

CVE-2020-9294 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Fortinet Fortimail with a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 78% places it in the 100th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-287.

Key facts

Severity: Critical (CVSS 3.x base score 9.8)
CVSS v2: 7.5
EPSS exploit prediction: 78% (100th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-287
Affected product: Fortinet Fortimail
Published: 2020-04-27
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

An improper authentication vulnerability in FortiMail 5.4.10, 6.0.7, 6.2.2 and earlier and FortiVoiceEntreprise 6.0.0 and 6.0.1 may allow a remote unauthenticated attacker to access the system as a legitimate user by requesting a password change via the user interface.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-9294?: An improper authentication vulnerability in FortiMail 5.4.10, 6.0.7, 6.2.2 and earlier and FortiVoiceEntreprise 6.0.0 and 6.0.1 may allow a remote unauthenticated attacker to access the system as a legitimate user by requesting a password change via the user interface.
How severe is CVE-2020-9294?: CVE-2020-9294 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2020-9294 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 78% (100th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-9294?: CVE-2020-9294 primarily affects Fortinet Fortimail. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-9294?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2020-9294 published?: CVE-2020-9294 was published on 2020-04-27 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://fortiguard.com/psirt/FG-IR-20-045

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:fortinet:fortimail:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:fortinet:fortivoice:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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Other CWE-287 (Improper Authentication) vulnerabilities

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CVE-2026-10611 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): An authentication bypass vulnerability exists in MISP when LDAP mixed authentication is enabled with OTP enforcement.…
CVE-2026-47280 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Improper authentication in Azure Resource Manager (ARM) allows an unauthorized attacker to elevate privileges over a…
CVE-2026-42822 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Improper authentication in Azure Local Disconnected Operations allows an unauthorized attacker to elevate privileges…
CVE-2026-20182 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): May 2026: This security advisory provides the details and fix information for a vulnerability that was discovered and…

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