This vulnerability affects Fortinet FortiClientLinux versions 7.4.0 to 7.4.4 and 7.2.2 to 7.2.12. It is caused by a symbolic link following flaw that enables an unprivileged local user to escalate their privileges to root without requiring any user interaction. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.4, indicating high severity, with attack vector local, low attack complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction, and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The vulnerability is published and assigned CVE-2026-24018 by Fortinet.

An unprivileged local attacker can exploit this vulnerability to gain root privileges on affected FortiClientLinux systems. This could lead to full system compromise, including unauthorized access to sensitive data, modification of system files, and disruption of system availability. There are no known public exploits currently reported.

Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Since no patch or official fix information is provided, users should monitor Fortinet's advisories for updates. Until a fix is available, restrict local user access to trusted individuals and consider applying temporary mitigations if provided by Fortinet.