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Fortios CVE-2025-24472

HIGH
Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel (CWE-288)
2025-02-11 psirt@fortinet.com
8.1
CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: fortinet
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Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A07:2025 - Authentication Failures
ASVS 5.0
V6 - Authentication Alternate path authentication
Impact

High risk (CVSS 8.1, EPSS 10.1%). While requiring prior knowledge of serial numbers, these are often discoverable through reconnaissance. Once obtained, the attacker gains super-admin access to downstream firewalls.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker discovers FortiGate serial numbers through SNMP enumeration or the web login page. Using the serial numbers, they craft requests that exploit the inter-device trust to gain super-admin access to a downstream firewall, modifying its configuration for persistent access.

Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Why: HIGH severity + EPSS > 10%.
Exploited in the wild (CISA KEV) No patch listed yet 10.1% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Mar 28, 2026

FortiOS and FortiProxy contain an authentication bypass allowing unauthenticated attackers with knowledge of upstream/downstream device serial numbers to gain super-admin privileges on downstream devices.

Earlier versions of this analysis (1)
v1 Mar 28, 2026 - 18:26 CVSS 8.1

An authentication bypass in FortiOS/FortiProxy allows attackers who know the serial numbers of upstream and downstream devices to gain super-admin privileges on downstream devices without authentication.

RemediationAI

Upgrade FortiOS/FortiProxy. Restrict SNMP access. Disable serial number display on login pages. Audit firewall configurations for unauthorized modifications.

Affects your stack

Find out whether the stacks and servers you run are on an affected version.

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

The CWE-288 authentication bypass through an alternate channel exploits the trust relationship between FortiGate devices. Knowing the serial numbers (which may be exposed through SNMP, web interface, or network scanning) allows an attacker to craft requests that the downstream device trusts as coming from the upstream management device.

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Severity by source

Vendor (fortinet) PRIMARY 8.1 HIGH
AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Primary rating from Vendor (fortinet) · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorVendor: fortinet

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
High
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Lifecycle Timeline

2
Added to CISA KEV
Oct 24, 2025 - 12:53 cisa
CISA KEV
CVE Published
Feb 11, 2025 - 17:15 nvd
HIGH 8.1

DescriptionCVE.org

An Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel vulnerability [CWE-288] affecting FortiOS 7.0.0 through 7.0.16 and FortiProxy 7.2.0 through 7.2.12, 7.0.0 through 7.0.19 may allow a remote unauthenticated attacker with prior knowledge of upstream and downstream devices serial numbers to gain super-admin privileges on the downstream device, if the Security Fabric is enabled, via crafted CSF proxy requests.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

Organizations using FortiOS 7.0.0 face notable risk from CVE-2025-24472 rated CVSS 8.1. Successful exploitation could significantly impact the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of affected systems. This vulnerability is actively exploited in the wild (KEV-listed) and requires immediate remediation. Immediate patching is required per CISA KEV mandate.

Business Impact: Severe
Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch. If immediate patching is not feasible: (1) Implement network-level access controls to limit exposure; (2) Enable enhanced monitoring and alerting; (3) Apply principle of least privilege.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
10.1%
Top 7% exploitable
Threat Intel
1
1 source
Data Quality
5 sources
Confidence: Medium

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity HIGH
CISA KEV Yes
Public POC No
EPSS 10.1%
Patch available No
Active threat Yes
Deciding rule
HIGH severity + EPSS > 10%
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Immediate
Exploitation· derived
Active
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable· derived
No
Human Impact
Very High

Priority Score

110
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: +50
EPSS: +10
CVSS: +40
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: +10
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Authentication bypass attacks exploit flaws in the verification mechanisms that control access to systems and applications.

Affected Products (CPE)CVE.org

cpe:2.3:a:fortinet:fortiproxy:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:fortinet:fortiproxy:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:fortinet:fortios:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
CVE-2022-40684 CRITICAL POC
9.8 Oct 18

An authentication bypass using an alternate path or channel [CWE-288] in Fortinet FortiOS version 7.2.0 through 7.2.1 an

CVE-2024-55591 CRITICAL POC
9.8 Jan 14

FortiOS and FortiProxy contain an authentication bypass via the Node.js websocket module allowing unauthenticated remote

CVE-2024-21762 CRITICAL POC
9.8 Feb 09

A out-of-bounds write in Fortinet FortiOS versions 7.4.0 through 7.4.2, 7.2.0 through 7.2.6, 7.0.0 through 7.0.13, 6.4.0

CVE-2023-27997 CRITICAL
9.8 Jun 13

A heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability [CWE-122] in FortiOS version 7.2.4 and below, version 7.0.11 and below, versi

CVE-2020-12812 CRITICAL
9.8 Jul 24

FortiOS SSL-VPN contains an improper authentication vulnerability that allows users to bypass two-factor authentication

CVE-2016-1909 CRITICAL POC
9.8 Jan 15

Fortinet FortiAnalyzer before 5.0.12 and 5.2.x before 5.2.5; FortiSwitch 3.3.x before 3.3.3; FortiCache 3.0.x before 3.0

CVE-2016-6909 CRITICAL POC
9.8 Aug 24

Buffer overflow in the Cookie parser in Fortinet FortiOS 4.x before 4.1.11, 4.2.x before 4.2.13, and 4.3.x before 4.3.9

CVE-2025-25249 CRITICAL POC
9.8 Jan 13

Remote code execution in Fortinet FortiOS (6.4 through 7.6.3) and FortiSwitchManager (7.0.x/7.2.x) lets an attacker run

CVE-2025-61624 MEDIUM POC
6.5 Apr 14

Path traversal vulnerability in Fortinet FortiOS, FortiProxy, FortiPAM, and FortiSwitchManager allows authenticated admi

CVE-2015-1880 MEDIUM POC
4.3 May 12

Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the sslvpn login page in Fortinet FortiOS 5.2.x before 5.2.3 allows remote a

CVE-2025-68686 MEDIUM POC
5.9 Feb 10

An Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor vulnerability [CWE-200] vulnerability in Fortinet FortiOS

CVE-2019-6693 MEDIUM
6.5 Nov 21

Use of a hard-coded cryptographic key to cipher sensitive data in FortiOS configuration backup file may allow an attacke

Threat IntelligenceMISP

CISA Advisories
Sources: CISA (public domain)

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