CVE-2023-27997
CRITICALCVE-2023-27997 is a critical-severity (CVSS 9.8) CWE-122 vulnerability in fortinet fortios. 11 public exploit references exist, so weaponization risk is real. O3 Security detects and blocks CVE-2023-27997 exploitation at runtime via eBPF exploit-chain detection and L7 egress monitoring, even on unpatched systems.
A heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability [CWE-122] in FortiOS version 7.2.4 and below, version 7.0.11 and below, version 6.4.12 and below, version 6.0.16 and below and FortiProxy…
Exploitation Status
Actively exploited in the wild
- CISA’s SSVC triage classifies this CVE as under active exploitation.
- CISA assesses this as automatable — exploitation doesn’t require manual, per-target effort, which raises the odds of mass scanning and opportunistic attacks.
- A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2023-27997.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
How urgent is this, really
CVE-2023-27997 plotted by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). The shaded corner — EPSS 50%+ and CVSS 7.0+ — is where this CVE sits: patch-first territory.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 370,894 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the 50–90% band (highlighted). Real counts from FIRST.org, not a sample — log-scaled since the landscape is heavily right-skewed.
Description
A heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability [CWE-122] in FortiOS version 7.2.4 and below, version 7.0.11 and below, version 6.4.12 and below, version 6.0.16 and below and FortiProxy version 7.2.3 and below, version 7.0.9 and below, version 2.0.12 and below, version 1.2 all versions, version 1.1 all versions SSL-VPN may allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code or commands via specifically crafted requests.
Affected Products
fortiosfortinetfortiproxyfortinetResearch use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
A heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability [CWE-122] in FortiOS version …
A heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability [CWE-122] in FortiOS version …
A heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability [CWE-122] in FortiOS version …
A heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability [CWE-122] in FortiOS version …
A heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability [CWE-122] in FortiOS version …
A heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability [CWE-122] in FortiOS version …
A heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability [CWE-122] in FortiOS version …
Detection & mitigation playbook
Vendor / applianceDetect
Inventory every fortinet fortios deployment and check each version against the affected-products list above. Because the exploit targets the running system rather than your application code, also watch for remote code execution at the network and runtime layer — O3 flags the exploit behaviour from runtime telemetry and egress traffic even before a vulnerable build is confirmed.
Remediation status
No patch has shipped for CVE-2023-27997 yet — track the fortinet fortios advisory for a fixed release and apply the workarounds below in the meantime.
Mitigate without a patch
Cut exposure now: restrict the management/admin interface to trusted networks, segment the device, and apply the vendor's recommended configuration mitigations and any WAF/IPS signature. O3's runtime protection blocks the exploit chain at execution, holding the line on unpatched or end-of-life systems until you can patch.
How O3 protects you
O3 detects and blocks CVE-2023-27997 exploitation at runtime: eBPF exploit-chain detection, plus L7 egress monitoring that catches the post-exploitation callback and severs the attacker's outbound channel.
Tailored to CVE-2023-27997. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2023-27997 being exploited in your environment?
O3's eBPF runtime sensors and L7 egress monitoring detect and block the CVE-2023-27997 exploit chain at execution — protecting unpatched and end-of-life systems until the vendor patch is applied.