CVE-2022-40684 Fortinet Multiple Products: login or permission bypass
In plain words: A door that should be locked is not: part of the system can be reached without a valid login or permission. The attacker gets in as a user or administrator without knowing a password.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline Nov 1, 2022
What to do
- Install Fortinet's security update for Multiple Products. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships.
- Patch edge devices first — attackers often start scanning for them within hours of a fix.
- Never expose the device's admin page to the internet.
- After patching a device that was exposed, follow the vendor's compromise checks, end active sessions and change passwords.
Who is affected
Work IT. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.
What's at risk: They face the internet and guard the whole network, so a flaw here can hand attackers a way in — and these devices usually run no antivirus, so break-ins go unnoticed.
The details
- Official name
- Fortinet Multiple Products Authentication Bypass Vulnerability
- Product
- Fortinet Multiple Products
- CISA description
- Fortinet FortiOS, FortiProxy, and FortiSwitchManager contain an authentication bypass vulnerability that could allow an unauthenticated attacker to perform operations on the administrative interface via specially crafted HTTP or HTTPS requests.
- Type of flaw
- Login or permission bypass (CWE-288)
- Confirmed exploited
- Oct 11, 2022 — known to be used in ransomware attacks
- US federal patch deadline
- Nov 1, 2022
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Answering about CVE-2022-40684 ·
Questions about CVE-2022-40684
Is CVE-2022-40684 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2022-40684 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Oct 11, 2022, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks, including by ransomware groups.
How do I fix CVE-2022-40684?
Install Fortinet's security update for Multiple Products. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships. Patch edge devices first — attackers often start scanning for them within hours of a fix.
Am I affected by CVE-2022-40684?
Only if you use Fortinet Multiple Products. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.