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FirewareOperating system · Watchguard

CVE-2022-25293

HIGH · 8.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2022-02-24
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 12.1.3 / 12.5.9 or later.
See remediation →
94/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
A systemd stack-based buffer overflow in WatchGuard Firebox and XTM appliances allows an authenticated remote attacker to potentially execute arbitrary code by initiating a firmware update with a malicious upgrade image. This vulnerability impacts Fireware OS before 12.7.2_U2, 12.x before 12.1.3_U8, and 12.2.x through 12.5.x before 12.5.9_U2.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

A stack-based buffer overflow in systemd exists in WatchGuard Firebox and XTM appliances, allowing authenticated remote attackers to potentially execute arbitrary code by uploading a specially crafted malicious firmware upgrade image.

MitigationUpgrade Fireware OS to version 12.7.2_U2, 12.1.3_U8, or 12.5.9_U2 or later to patch the vulnerability.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
FirewareOperating system
Affected:>= 12.0.0, < 12.1.3>= 12.2.0, < 12.5.9>= 12.7.0, < 12.7.2= 12.1.3= 12.5.9= 12.7.2

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify your WatchGuard appliance model
    Log into the Firebox management interface or check physical device labeling to confirm it is a Firebox or XTM appliance. This vulnerability only affects these specific product lines.
    Affected if The device is not a WatchGuard Firebox or XTM appliance
  2. Check Fireware OS version
    In the Firebox Web UI, go to Dashboard or System > About to view the installed Fireware version. Alternatively, use the command line and run 'fwctl --version' or check the device status page.
    Affected if Unable to determine the Fireware version from the device interface
  3. Compare installed version against affected ranges
    Review the installed Fireware version against: 12.0.0 through 12.1.2, 12.1.3, 12.2.0 through 12.5.8, 12.5.9, 12.7.0 through 12.7.1, and 12.7.2. Note that 12.1.3, 12.5.9, and 12.7.2 are also affected.
    Affected if The installed version falls within any of the affected ranges listed in the CVE
  4. Verify firmware upgrade interface accessibility
    Confirm that the device management interface is accessible remotely (via Web UI or API). The vulnerability is exploited through the firmware upgrade image upload feature.
    Affected if Remote management or firmware upgrade functionality is exposed to authenticated users

You are affected if you are running a WatchGuard Firebox or XTM appliance with Fireware OS version 12.0.0 through 12.1.2, 12.1.3, 12.2.0 through 12.5.8, 12.5.9, 12.7.0 through 12.7.1, or 12.7.2.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 12.1.3 / 12.5.9 / 12.7.2 or later
Fixed in 12.1.312.5.912.7.2
Interim mitigation

Upgrade Fireware OS to version 12.7.2_U2, 12.1.3_U8, or 12.5.9_U2 or later to patch the vulnerability.

Recommended fix High confidence

Fireware 12.1.3_U8 (for 12.0.x-12.1.x), 12.5.9_U2 (for 12.2.x-12.5.x), or 12.7.2_U2 (for 12.7.x)

  1. 1. Identify the currently installed Fireware OS version via the Web UI (Status > System Overview) or CLI (show version command)
  2. 2. Determine which version branch your current installation falls into: 12.0.x-12.1.x, 12.2.x-12.5.x, or 12.7.x
  3. 3. For systems on 12.0.x through 12.1.3: Upgrade to Fireware 12.1.3_U8 or later
  4. 4. For systems on 12.2.x through 12.5.x: Upgrade to Fireware 12.5.9_U2 or later
  5. 5. For systems on 12.7.x: Upgrade to Fireware 12.7.2_U2 or later
  6. 6. Obtain the firmware image from the WatchGuard portal (support.watchguard.com) using your valid support account
  7. 7. Upload the firmware via Firebox Web UI (System > Firmware) or CLI (upgrade command)
  8. 8. After upgrade, verify the version and ensure the system is functioning normally
Caveat Firmware upgrades may cause temporary service interruption; ensure proper backup and maintenance window before upgrading

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Fireware Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation2.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
9.0 hours of engineering $1,620
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Scan for this in your stack

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2022-25293 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data