CVE-2022-25361
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 · uneditedWatchGuard Firebox and XTM appliances allow an unauthenticated remote attacker to delete arbitrary files from a limited set of directories on the system. 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 confidenceAn unauthenticated remote attacker can delete arbitrary files from a limited set of directories on WatchGuard Firebox and XTM appliances due to improper path validation. This file deletion vulnerability in Fireware OS allows attackers to remove critical system files without authentication.
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>= 12.0.0, < 12.1.3>= 12.2.0, < 12.5.9= 12.1.3= 12.5.9= 12.7.2CVSS 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
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/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 checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Check Fireware OS versionLog into the Firebox management interface (Web UI) and navigate to System > Status, or use the command line (CLI) with 'fireware -v' to display the installed Fireware OS version.Affected if The installed version falls within these ranges: 12.0.0 through 12.1.2, 12.1.3, 12.2.0 through 12.5.8, 12.5.9, or 12.7.2. These versions are vulnerable.
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Identify management interface exposureReview the Firebox network configuration and firewall policies to determine if the management interface (HTTP/HTTPS on ports 80/443 or the dedicated management port) is accessible from external or untrusted networks.Affected if The management interface is reachable from the internet or untrusted networks, allowing unauthenticated attackers to exploit the path validation flaw.
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Verify management access restrictionsCheck existing firewall policies or access rules that permit management access. Use the Firebox Policy Manager or Web UI to list all policies allowing traffic to the management service.Affected if There are policies allowing unrestricted or poorly restricted management access from outside trusted IP ranges.
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Confirm external attack surfacePerform external port scanning (such as using nmap or similar tools) from an untrusted network toward the public IP addresses of the Firebox to detect open management ports (80, 443, or the management port).Affected if Management ports are exposed to the internet or untrusted networks without VPN or IP-based restrictions.
You are affected if the Firebox runs a vulnerable Fireware OS version (12.0.0-12.1.2, 12.1.3, 12.2.0-12.5.8, 12.5.9, or 12.7.2) AND the management interface is accessible from untrusted networks, allowing unauthenticated attackers to exploit the path validation flaw.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
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 · scoped12.1.312.5.9
Upgrade Fireware OS to version 12.7.2_U2, 12.1.3_U8, or 12.5.9_U2 (or later) depending on the current branch. Alternatively, restrict management interface access to trusted networks via firewall policies.
Upgrade to Fireware OS 12.7.2_U2 (or 12.1.3_U8 / 12.5.9_U2 depending on your branch)
- 1. Identify the current Fireware OS version by logging into the Firebox or XTM web UI (Dashboard > System Status) or via the CLI command 'fwprint -v'
- 2. Determine which upgrade path applies based on your current version branch (12.0.x-12.1.x, 12.2.x-12.5.x, or 12.6.x-12.7.x)
- 3. Download the appropriate fixed firmware image (12.7.2_U2 or later, 12.1.3_U8 or later, or 12.5.9_U2 or later) from the WatchGuard software portal at watchguard.com
- 4. Backup the current Firebox configuration through the web UI (Setup > Backup) or CLI
- 5. Upload and apply the firmware upgrade through the Firebox web UI (System > Firmware) or via the CLI using 'fwupdate' command
- 6. After reboot, verify the new firmware version is installed and the device is functioning normally
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2022-25361 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2022-25361 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- 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
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