Threat Actors Exploit Critical FortiClient EMS Flaw to Deploy Credential Stealer
Threat Actors Exploit Critical FortiClient EMS Flaw to Deploy Credential Stealer
Ravie LakshmananMay 28, 2026Vulnerability / Endpoint Security
Threat actors are continuing to exploit a critical, now-patched security flaw impacting FortiClient Endpoint Management Server (EMS) deployments to deliver credential-stealing malware.
"The campaign abused trusted endpoint management infrastructure to deliver malware across managed endpoints," Arctic Wolf said. "Threat actors disguised the credential stealer payload as a Fortinet endpoint update, silently executing the malicious executable through PowerShell."
The activity, observed by the cybersecurity company in May 2026, involves the exploitation of CVE-2026-35616 (CVSS score: 9.1), a critical pre-authentication API access bypass leading to privilege escalation. The issue was addressed by Fortinet in FortiClient EMS 7.4.7 and later.
A successful compromise is followed by the threat actor taking steps to modify configurations to defer firmware upgrade reminders, as well as modifying a Remote Access Profile configuration and endpoint policy to insert a malicious script for execution on endpoint devices.
"The observed execution pattern suggests that threat actors used FortiClient's own management pathway to push malicious PowerShell commands to managed endpoints in a way that resembled legitimate management operations," Arctic Wolf said.
"Once the threat actors had a route to modify EMS-managed configuration, every managed endpoint became a potential execution target without requiring a separate intrusion path to each device."
In addition, the attack has been found to leverage "fortitray.exe," a legitimate executable associated with FortiClient to launch a .cmd script file using "cmd.exe." The .cmd script is designed to invoke a Base64-encoded PowerShell script that, in turn, is responsible for downloading a malicious payload, running it, and exfiltrating the results to "83.138.53[.]110" via an HTTP POST request.
The executable, named "FortiEndpoint_Patch.exe," masquerades as an update, but, in reality, is a previously unreported Windows information stealer capable of harvesting sensitive data, such as passwords, cookies, and autofill details such as credit card information, addresses, and phone numbers, from Chromium- and Gecko-based browsers.
The data is written to a log file and saved to the ProgramData directory. It's worth noting that the stealer lacks network-based exfiltration capabilities. It's the PowerShell script that transmits the captured data to the attacker-controlled infrastructure.
"By bypassing API authentication and interacting with EMS functionality in a privileged context, threat actors were able to modify management configuration and push malicious scripts for execution on managed endpoints," Arctic Wolf said.
"Session cookies and saved browser credentials may provide threat actors with follow-on access to cloud services, internal applications, and other authenticated resources, including cases where session reuse may circumvent MFA prompts."
Found this article interesting? Follow us on Google News, Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.
SHARE
Tweet Share Share Share
SHARE Credential Theft, cybersecurity, endpoint security, FortiClient EMS, Fortinet, Information Stealer, Malware, powershell, privilege escalation, Vulnerability
⚡ Top Stories This Week
Claude Mythos AI Finds 10,000 High-Severity Flaws in Widely Used Software
Megalodon GitHub Attack Targets 5,561 Repos with Malicious CI/CD Workflows
ThreatsDay Bulletin: Linux Rootkits, Router 0-Day, AI Intrusions, Scam Kits and 25 New Stories
Microsoft Warns of Two Actively Exploited Defender Vulnerabilities
9-Year-Old Linux Kernel Flaw Enables Root Command Execution on Major Distros
GitHub Internal Repositories Breached via Malicious Nx Console VS Code Extension
GitHub Breached — Employee Device Hack Led to Exfiltration of 3,800+ Internal Repos
Microsoft Releases Mitigation for YellowKey BitLocker Bypass CVE-2026-45585 Exploit
DirtyDecrypt PoC Released for Linux Kernel CVE-2026-31635 LPE Vulnerability
⚡ Weekly Recap: Exchange 0-Day, npm Worm, Fake AI Repo, Cisco Exploit and More
Ivanti, Fortinet, SAP, VMware, n8n Patch RCE, SQL Injection, Privilege Escalation Flaws
MiniPlasma Windows 0-Day Enables SYSTEM Privilege Escalation on Fully Patched Systems
NGINX CVE-2026-42945 Exploited in the Wild, Causing Worker Crashes and Possible RCE
Making Vulnerable Drivers Exploitable Without Hardware - The BYOVD Perspective
The New Phishing Click: How OAuth Consent Bypasses MFA
Developer Workstations Are Now Part of the Software Supply Chain
⭐ Featured Resources
Claim ANY.RUN Anniversary Offer for Faster Malware Analysis
[Guide] Learn to Detect AI Typosquatting Risks in Your Domain
[Guide] Get Key Identity Security Insights From 2026 Snapshot
Discover How to Navigate the Era of Constant Cyber Exposure
Cybersecurity Webinars
With HD Moore (Creator of Metasploit) Learn How to Detect Threats Beyond Zero Day Attacks Learn practical strategies to detect and defend against cyber threats beyond zero-day vulnerabilities. Register
Tired of False Positives? Validate Automated Pentesting Results Before Acting Learn how to validate automated pentesting results for accurate security decisions. Register
⚡ Latest News
Cybersecurity Resources
AI Is Reshaping Every Attack Surface. Train for What's NextSANSFIRE 2026 in D.C. brings 50+ courses, AI-focused sessions, and NetWars. July 13–18. Save $500. Your VPN is Helping Attackers Move as Fast as AIAI collapsed human response window and turned remote access into fastest path to breach. Earn a Master's in Cybersecurity Risk ManagementLead the future of cybersecurity risk management with an online Master’s from Georgetown.
Expert Insights Articles Videos
You Can't Patch Your Way Out of This One
May 25, 2026 Read ➝
How to Test Ransomware Recovery Without Reinfecting Your Environment
May 25, 2026 Read ➝
The Scam Before the Game: CTM360 Reveals Threats Targeting FIFA World Cup 2026 Fans
May 25, 2026 Read ➝
7 Signs Your Organization Is Vulnerable to Business Email Compromise
May 18, 2026 Read ➝
Get the Latest News in Your Inbox Get the latest news, expert insights, exclusive resources, and strategies from industry leaders, all for free.