FortiWLM - Path Traversal (CVE-2023-34990)

CVE-2023-34990 is a relative path traversal vulnerability in Fortinet FortiWLM versions 8.6.0 through 8.6.5 and 8.5.0 through 8.5.4 which allows attackers to execute unauthorized code or commands by sending specially crafted web requests. This remote code execution flaw could be exploited to gain control over the affected system, potentially leading to data breaches or further network compromise.

CrowdSec has been tracking this vulnerability and its exploits since 17th of June 2025.

CrowdSec network data shows that most actors exploiting CVE-2023-34990 rely on broad, untargeted scans with minimal filtering. The activity is largely automated and opportunistic in nature. CrowdSec data also reveals a clear uptick in attacks involving CVE-2023-34990 over the past week. Activity is above the usual baseline, suggesting growing attention from attackers. This may reflect rising awareness, recent exploit releases, or expanded targeting efforts.

Attackers exploit the /ems/cgi-bin/ezrf_lighttpd.cgi endpoint by abusing the imagename parameter with directory traversal sequences to access sensitive files on FortiWLM systems.