CISA adds FortiClient EMS, Ivanti EPM CSA, Nice Linear eMerge E3-Series bugs to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog

CVE-2019-7256 is a critical (CVSS 9.8) unauthenticated OS command injection flaw (CWE-78) in the web interface of Nice/Nortek Control Linear eMerge E3-Series access control controllers. An unauthenticated remote attacker can send crafted HTTP requests to the controller's web endpoints — public proofs of concept target card_scan.php and card_scan_decoder.php on firmware 1.00-06 — causing arbitrary operating-system commands to run on the device. Successful exploitation yields full command execution on the controller, enabling takeover of the building access system and, as observed in the wild, conscription of exposed devices into DDoS botnets. Any site running Linear eMerge E3-Series Essential or Elite firmware is affected, especially controllers directly reachable from the internet. Exploitation is confirmed: public PoCs date to 2019, the bug was added to CISA's KEV catalog on 2024-03-25 amid reported active exploitation, and EPSS assigns a 97.1% probability of exploitation within 30 days (100th percentile).

Do: Remove E3-Series controllers from direct internet exposure (restrict the web interface to management networks or VPN) and check exposed devices for signs of botnet compromise, such as unusual outbound traffic. Because CISA's required action is to remediate firmware per the vendor advisory, contact Nice/Nortek Control for current firmware and remediation guidance, and treat the flaw as actively exploited given the KEV listing and 97.1% EPSS.

CVE-2021-44529 is a critical (CVSS 9.8) code injection flaw (CWE-94) in the web interface of Ivanti Endpoint Manager Cloud Services Appliance (CSA), a perimeter gateway used to remotely manage Ivanti Endpoint Manager deployments. An unauthenticated attacker can send crafted network requests to the appliance and inject code that executes on the device with the low-privilege 'nobody' account, requiring no credentials or user interaction. Successful exploitation yields remote code execution and a foothold on an internet-facing device, which attackers can use to pivot into internal networks and, per CISA, support ransomware operations. Organizations running CSA versions 4.5 and 4.6, the versions referenced in public PoCs, are affected, especially where the appliance is reachable from the internet. The flaw is being exploited in the wild: CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2024-03-25 with ransomware use marked as known, and its EPSS score of 99.1% (100th percentile) indicates near-certain exploitation probability within 30 days.

Do: Upgrade CSA 4.5 and 4.6 appliances to the patched releases per Ivanti's security advisory (or the latest CSA release), and until patched, restrict or firewall the CSA web interface away from direct internet exposure. Because CISA lists ransomware use as known, review appliance logs and integrity for signs of exploitation before assuming systems are clean. If mitigations are unavailable, CISA's required action is to discontinue use of the product.

Fortinet FortiClient EMS — the central management server for FortiClient endpoint deployments — contains a SQL injection flaw (CWE-89) in versions 7.0.1 through 7.0.10 and 7.2.0 through 7.2.2. The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N) shows it can be triggered remotely with no credentials and no user interaction: an unauthenticated attacker sends specially crafted packets to the vulnerable management server and can execute unauthorized code or commands. Successful exploitation effectively yields remote code execution on the EMS server and access to its database, enabling follow-on actions such as credential theft, abuse of endpoint management functions, and ransomware deployment. Any organization running the affected EMS versions is exposed, especially where the management server is reachable from the internet. Exploitation is confirmed in the wild: CISA added the bug to the KEV catalog on 2024-03-25 with known ransomware use, and EPSS assigns a ~98.4% probability of exploitation within 30 days (100th percentile).

Do: Upgrade FortiClient EMS to the fixed releases per Fortinet's advisory for this CVE (7.2.3 and 7.0.11 or later, i.e., beyond the 7.2.2 and 7.0.10 affected ranges); the CISA KEV required action is to apply vendor mitigations or discontinue use if mitigations are unavailable. Until patched, limit exposure of the EMS web interface to untrusted networks and hunt for signs of compromise — anomalous requests to the management console, unexpected database or admin activity, and follow-on ransomware behavior — since exploitation with known ransomware use is confirmed.