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Fencer Intel
medium 6.5

CVE-2019-6693 kev+ ransomware in the critical feed json

Use of a hard-coded cryptographic key to cipher sensitive data in FortiOS configuration backup file may allow an attacker with access to th…

published 6y ago modified 3mo ago also EUVD-2019-16251

cvss
6.5
version 3.1, CNA
cisa kev
Exploited
added 2025-06-25, used in ransomware
epss
6.6%
EPSS 6.6% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 93%
public exploits
0
none known

Summary

Use of a hard-coded cryptographic key to cipher sensitive data in FortiOS configuration backup file may allow an attacker with access to the backup file to decipher the sensitive data, via knowledge of the hard-coded key. The aforementioned sensitive data includes users' passwords (except the administrator's password), private keys' passphrases and High Availability password (when set).

Patch / fix

cisa required action Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

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Timeline

  1. Published
  2. CISA SSVC: exploitation active
  3. Added to CISA KEV
  4. CISA patch deadline

Known exploited

Added
last yr.
Patch by
2025-07-16 (last yr.)
Ransomware
Known to be used in ransomware campaigns
Required action
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Vendor, product
Fortinet, FortiOS
CISA name
Fortinet FortiOS Use of Hard-Coded Credentials Vulnerability

Ransomware

Groups reported to have exploited it in intrusions.

  • Akira ransomware gang

reported by stairwell.com

Ransomware Vulnerability Matrix by BushidoUK (github.com/BushidoUK/Ransomware-Vulnerability-Matrix), reformatted per CVE. CC BY 4.0

CISA SSVC

Exploitation
Active, exploited in the wild
Automatable
no
Technical impact
partial
Assessed
last yr.

Exploit prediction

6.64% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 93% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-09).

CVSS scores

assigned by version score vector
CISA ADP 3.1 6.5 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
NVD 3.1 6.5 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
CNA 3.1 6.5 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
NVD 2.0 4.0 AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:N/A:N

Affected products

  • Fortinet FortiGate

Classification

Weakness
  • CWE-798 Use of Hard-coded Credentials
Technology feeds

References

Sources

Fencer Intel keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.