CVE-2022-40684An authentication bypass using an alternate path or channel [CWE-288] in Fortinet FortiOS version 7.2.0 through 7.2.1 and 7.0.0 through…
- 9.8CriticalCVSS base score
- 100.0%Exploitation in 30 daysEPSS · top 0.1% of all CVEs
- YesKnown exploitedin CISA's KEV since 11 Oct 2022
- 4Public exploitsMetasploit, Nuclei and Exploit-DB
Description
An authentication bypass using an alternate path or channel [CWE-288] in Fortinet FortiOS version 7.2.0 through 7.2.1 and 7.0.0 through 7.0.6, FortiProxy version 7.2.0 and version 7.0.0 through 7.0.6 and FortiSwitchManager version 7.2.0 and 7.0.0 allows an unauthenticated atttacker to perform operations on the administrative interface via specially crafted HTTP or HTTPS requests.
Exploited in the wild
CISA lists this vulnerability in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog as Fortinet Multiple Products Authentication Bypass Vulnerability.
- Added
- 11 Oct 2022
- Fix due (US federal)
- 1 Nov 2022
- Used by ransomware
- Known
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
ENISA's EU Vulnerability Database lists it as exploited, from CISA's KEV, since 11 Oct 2022.
Public exploit
An exploit or proof of concept is public: anyone can try it against an unpatched system. The public collections list a Metasploit module, a Nuclei template and 2 Exploit-DB entries for it. CISA's SSVC rates its exploitation: it is being exploited.
Show the exploits4
Metasploit modules1 module
- Fortinet FortiOS, FortiProxy, and FortiSwitchManager authentication bypass. (Metasploit module) (opens in a new tab)
exploit/linux/http/fortinet_authentication_bypass_cve_2022_40684Rank excellentdisclosed 10 Oct 2022
Nuclei templates1 template
- Fortinet - Authentication Bypass (Nuclei template) (opens in a new tab)
http/cves/2022/CVE-2022-40684.yamlSeverity critical
Exploit-DB2 entries
- Fortinet FortiOS_ FortiProxy_ and FortiSwitchManager 7.2.0 - Authentication bypass (Exploit-DB entry) (opens in a new tab)
EDB-ID 52239remote, windowspublished 16 Apr 2025Not verified
- FortiOS_ FortiProxy_ FortiSwitchManager v7.2.1 - Authentication Bypass (Exploit-DB entry) (opens in a new tab)
EDB-ID 51092webapps, multiplepublished 27 Mar 2023Not verified
Modules, templates and exploits as listed by the Metasploit Framework (BSD-3-Clause), ProjectDiscovery's Nuclei templates (MIT) and the Exploit Database (GPLv2), read once a day. Where the data comes from
Timeline
ID reserved
By fortinet
- 27 days later
· 27 days later
Added to CISA KEV
Known exploited, also by ransomware
- 7 days later
· 7 days later
Published
- 4 years later
· 4 years later
Record updated
Changes after publication (a new score, a public exploit, EPSS crossing 1, 10 or 50 %, leaving KEV) are kept since November 2026; earlier ones are not known.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| fortinetCNA (assigner) | 3.1 | Critical9.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:F/RL:U/RC:C |
| NVDNVD · Analyzed | 3.1 | Critical9.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 100.0% · top 0.1% of all CVEs (12 Nov 2026)
- CISA SSVC
- Exploitation: active · Automatable: yes · Technical impact: total
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: Critical 9.8.
Affected products
Fortinet · Fortinet FortiOS, FortiProxy, FortiSwitchManager
- affected FortiOS 7.2.1, 7.2.0, 7.0.6, 7.0.5, 7.0.4, 7.0.3, 7.0.2, 7.0.1, 7.0.0; FortiProxy 7.2.0, 7.0.6, 7.0.5, 7.0.4, 7.0.3, 7.0.2, 7.0.1, 7.0.0; FortiSwitchManager 7.2.0, 7.0.0
References
References4
- https://fortiguard.com/psirt/FG-IR-22-377 (opens in a new tab)x_transferred
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/169431/Fortinet-FortiOS-FortiProxy-FortiSwitchManager-Authentication-Bypass.html (opens in a new tab)x_transferred
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/171515/Fortinet-7.2.1-Authentication-Bypass.html (opens in a new tab)x_transferred
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2022-40684 (opens in a new tab)government-resource
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- CISA KEV catalog (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- EUVD EUVD-2022-43955 (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://cveledger.app/cve/CVE-2022-40684)Record last updated .