Fortinet FortiOS Use of Hard-Coded Credentials Vulnerability
Fortinet — FortiGate
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).
6.5
5.6%
Vector breakdown
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
- Published
- Nov 21, 2019
- Modified
- Aug 4, 2026
- Added to KEV
- Jun 25, 2025
- Federal patch due
- Jul 16, 2025
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.
Weakness classification
Proof-of-concept & exploitation references
Weaponization
Public repositories whose name or description references CVE-2019-6693, found via a live GitHub search at request time. These are community-sourced signals, not a verified working exploit — cross-check each one before relying on it, and treat higher star counts and recent activity as (weak) corroboration, not proof.
No public GitHub repositories referencing CVE-2019-6693 were found at last check. Absence here is not proof no exploit exists — see the references below for vendor advisories and write-ups.
References
Frequently asked questions
What is CVE-2019-6693?
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).
How severe is CVE-2019-6693?
CVE-2019-6693 has a CVSS base score of 6.5 out of 10 (CVSS 3.1).
Is CVE-2019-6693 actively exploited in the wild?
Yes. CVE-2019-6693 is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added Jun 25, 2025, meaning CISA has confirmed evidence of active exploitation. It is also flagged as used in ransomware campaigns.
What is the EPSS score for CVE-2019-6693?
5.6% - meaning FIRST.org's EPSS model estimates a 5.6% probability this vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within 30 days (92% percentile among all scored CVEs).
What type of vulnerability is CVE-2019-6693?
CVE-2019-6693 is classified under CWE-798 (CWE-798 Use of Hard-coded Credentials).
Cross-checked against
Impactr finds and proves whether CVE-2019-6693 — or flaws like it — are actually reachable in your own web apps and APIs, with a reproducible exploit as evidence.