How severe is CVE-2021-36172?

CVE-2021-36172 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 4.3, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity none, and availability none.

Is CVE-2021-36172 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (52nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-36172?

CVE-2021-36172 affects Fortinet Fortiportal. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-36172?

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

When was CVE-2021-36172 published?

CVE-2021-36172 was published on 2021-11-02 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-36172

CVE-2021-36172 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Fortinet Fortiportal with a CVSS 3.x base score of 4.3. 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-611.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 4.3)
CVSS v2: 6.4
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (52nd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-611
Affected product: Fortinet Fortiportal
Published: 2021-11-02
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

An improper restriction of XML external entity reference vulnerability in the parser of XML responses of FortiPortal before 6.0.6 may allow an attacker who controls the producer of XML reports consumed by FortiPortal to trigger a denial of service or read arbitrary files from the underlying file system by means of specifically crafted XML documents.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-36172?: An improper restriction of XML external entity reference vulnerability in the parser of XML responses of FortiPortal before 6.0.6 may allow an attacker who controls the producer of XML reports consumed by FortiPortal to trigger a denial of service or read arbitrary files from the underlying file system by means of specifically crafted XML documents.
How severe is CVE-2021-36172?: CVE-2021-36172 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 4.3, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity none, and availability none.
Is CVE-2021-36172 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (52nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-36172?: CVE-2021-36172 affects Fortinet Fortiportal. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-36172?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2021-36172 published?: CVE-2021-36172 was published on 2021-11-02 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://fortiguard.com/advisory/FG-IR-21-104

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:fortinet:fortiportal:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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CVE-2018-1000837 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): UML Designer version <= 8.0.0 contains a XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability in XML parser for plugins that can…
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