Vulnary
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Critical· 9.8actively exploitedofficial fix available

CVE-2022-40684

Fortinet FortiOS, FortiProxy, and FortiSwitchManager firmware versions 7.0.x and 7.2.x contain a critical authentication bypass that lets an unauthenticated attacker send crafted HTTP or HTTPS requests to the administrative interface. The flaw allows the attacker to perform any administrative operation without credentials. Updating to a patched firmware removes the vulnerability.

publishedOct 18, 2022
last modifiedAug 6, 2026
sourcesNVD · CISA-KEV
severity · cvss
9.8
critical · how bad it is
exploitation · epss
100%
100th percentile · chance of exploitation in 30 days
(ai-assisted) A model wrote this summary from the official data, so double-check it against the source before you act on it. Read the official advisory →
auto-deletes from the system
counting…on Sep 5, 2026

An official fix is available, so this entry is kept for 30 days and then removed automatically.

01

Who is affected

Fortinet FortiOS, FortiProxy, and FortiSwitchManager firmware versions 7.0.0‑7.0.6 and 7.2.0‑7.2.1. Network administrators who manage these devices are the typical users.

02

Real-world impact

An attacker who exploits this flaw can take full control of the affected device, change configurations, install malicious code, or disrupt network services, potentially compromising the entire network.

03

Why this severity

The CVSS score of 9.8 reflects that the vulnerability can be exploited over the network without authentication, giving the attacker complete control over confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the device.

04

What to do about it

official fix available
recommended steps
  1. 01Verify the current firmware version on the device.
  2. 02Download the latest FortiOS, FortiProxy, or FortiSwitchManager firmware that addresses CVE‑2022‑40684 from Fortinet’s support site.
  3. 03Install the firmware following the vendor’s update procedure.
  4. 04Confirm the device is running the patched version.
  5. 05Reboot the device if required.

CISA KEV required action

05

Timeline

  1. Oct 11, 2022 · Oct 11, 2022
    Confirmed exploited (CISA KEV)
    CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog — attackers are using it in the wild.
  2. Oct 18, 2022 · Oct 18, 2022
    Published
    Disclosed and added to the National Vulnerability Database.
  3. Nov 1, 2022 · Nov 1, 2022
    CISA remediation deadline
    Federal agencies are required to remediate by this date.
  4. Aug 6, 2026 · 3h ago
    Advisory updated
    The NVD record was last revised.
  5. Aug 6, 2026 · 54m ago
    Official fix available
    A vendor patch or mitigation now exists — see the remediation steps above.
06

How it’s attacked

Attack vectorNetwork (remote)
Attack complexityLow
Privileges requiredNone
User interactionNone needed
ScopeUnchanged
Confidentiality impactHigh
Integrity impactHigh
Availability impactHigh
07

References & advisories

NVD advisory ↗CISA KEV catalog ↗Search advisories ↗
(ai-assisted) A model wrote this summary from the official data, so double-check it against the source before you act on it. Read the official advisory →