CVE-2022-41328 Fortinet FortiOS: file path flaw
In plain words: The program can be tricked into reading or writing files outside the folder it should stay in. Leaks files such as passwords and settings, or overwrites important ones.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline Apr 4, 2023
What to do
- Install Fortinet's security update for FortiOS. 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 FortiOS Path Traversal Vulnerability
- Product
- Fortinet FortiOS
- CISA description
- Fortinet FortiOS contains a path traversal vulnerability that may allow a local privileged attacker to read and write files via crafted CLI commands.
- Type of flaw
- File path flaw (CWE-22)
- Confirmed exploited
- Mar 14, 2023
- US federal patch deadline
- Apr 4, 2023
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Answering about CVE-2022-41328 ·
Questions about CVE-2022-41328
Is CVE-2022-41328 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2022-41328 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Mar 14, 2023, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks.
How do I fix CVE-2022-41328?
Install Fortinet's security update for FortiOS. 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-2022-41328?
Only if you use Fortinet FortiOS. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.