Fortiextender FirmwareOperating system · Fortinet
CVE-2022-27489
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 · uneditedA improper neutralization of special elements used in an os command ('os command injection') in Fortinet FortiExtender 7.0.0 through 7.0.3, 5.3.2, 4.2.4 and below allows attacker to execute unauthorized code or commands via crafted HTTP requests.
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 confidenceFortinet FortiExtender versions 7.0.0-7.0.3, 5.3.2, 4.2.4 and below contains an OS command injection vulnerability where improper neutralization of special elements in HTTP requests allows authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary operating system commands on the affected device.
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
Fortiextender FirmwareOperating system
>= 3.2.1, < 3.2.4>= 3.3.0, < 3.3.3>= 4.1.1, < 4.1.9>= 4.2.0, < 4.2.5>= 7.0.0, < 7.0.4= 3.0.0= 3.0.1= 3.0.2= 3.1.0= 3.1.1= 5.3.2CVSS 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
- High
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/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 checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Check FortiExtender firmware versionLog into the FortiExtender CLI or GUI and retrieve the firmware version. In CLI, use 'get system status' or 'fwv' command. In GUI, navigate to Dashboard > System Information > Firmware Version.Affected if The installed version matches any of these affected ranges: 7.0.0-7.0.3, 5.3.2, 4.2.0-4.2.4, 4.1.1-4.1.8, 3.3.0-3.3.2, 3.2.1-3.2.3, or is one of 3.0.0, 3.0.1, 3.0.2, 3.1.0, 3.1.1, or 5.3.2.
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Verify HTTP management interface is enabledIn FortiExtender GUI, go to System > Administration > Access Settings. In CLI, use 'get system interface' to list enabled management interfaces. Look for 'https' or 'http' entries in the management access list.Affected if HTTP or HTTPS management access is enabled on any interface, making the command injection attack surface accessible.
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Confirm administrative authentication is in useCheck that local administrator accounts or RADIUS/TACACS authentication is configured. In GUI, go to System > Administrators. In CLI, use 'get system admin' to list admin users.Affected if Administrative accounts exist, as authentication is required for the attacker to exploit this vulnerability.
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Assess network exposure of management interfaceReview firewall policies and interface configurations to determine if the HTTP/HTTPS management port (typically 443) is exposed to untrusted networks. Check which IP addresses can reach the management interface via 'get system interface' and access lists.Affected if The management interface is reachable from untrusted networks or the internet, allowing remote authenticated attackers to send malicious HTTP requests.
You are affected if your FortiExtender runs any firmware version within the listed vulnerable ranges AND the HTTP management interface is accessible to the attacker.
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 · scoped3.2.43.3.34.1.9
Upgrade to FortiExtender version 7.0.4, 5.3.3, 4.2.5 or later per Fortinet's advisory. If immediate patching is not feasible, restrict administrative access to trusted IP addresses only and implement network segmentation to limit exposure.
FortiExtender Firmware 3.2.4, 3.3.3, 4.1.9, 4.2.5, or 7.0.4+ depending on your version branch
- Identify the currently installed FortiExtender firmware version using the FortiOS CLI command: get system status or via FortiManager
- Determine which version branch your current firmware belongs to (3.2.x, 3.3.x, 4.1.x, 4.2.x, or 7.0.x)
- Download the corresponding fixed firmware version from Fortinet's support portal at https://support.fortinet.com/
- Upload the firmware to the FortiExtender device via the FortiOS web UI (System > Firmware) or CLI: execute firmware upgrade <firmware_file>
- Reboot the device after firmware installation completes
- Verify the upgrade was successful by checking the firmware version: get system status
- Confirm the vulnerability is resolved by ensuring the version matches or exceeds the fixed releases: 3.2.4, 3.3.3, 4.1.9, or 4.2.5
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
Fix this in Fortiextender Firmware
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $4,448.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2022-27489 — 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-2022-27489 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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