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FirewareOperating system · Watchguard

CVE-2025-12195

HIGH · 7.2 CVSS v3.1 Published 2025-12-04
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 12.5.14 / 12.11.5 or later.
See remediation →
78/100
Remediation priority · High
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
An Out-of-bounds Write vulnerability in WatchGuard Fireware OS's CLI could allow an authenticated privileged user to execute arbitrary code via specially crafted IPSec configuration CLI commands.

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

An out-of-bounds write vulnerability exists in the WatchGuard Fireware OS CLI parser for IPSec configuration commands. An authenticated privileged user can send specially crafted IPSec configuration CLI commands that trigger the out-of-bounds write, potentially allowing execution of arbitrary code with the privileges of the CLI process.

MitigationUpgrade Fireware OS to a version beyond the fixed releases (11.12.5, 12.11.5, 12.5.14, or 2025.1.3 and later). Until patched, limit CLI access to trusted administrative users only and monitor for suspicious IPSec configuration commands.

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:>= 11.0, < 12.5.14>= 11.0, < 12.11.5>= 2025.1, < 2025.1.3

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
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 checks

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

  1. Identify Fireware OS version
    Log into the Firebox Web UI or use the CLI command 'fwsm - CLI' and run 'fwsm --version' or check System > About in the web interface to confirm the installed OS version
    Affected if The installed version falls within >= 11.0 and < 12.5.14, OR >= 11.0 and < 12.11.5, OR >= 2025.1 and < 2025.1.3
  2. Confirm CLI access is enabled
    Check the Firebox configuration for CLI access permissions. In the Web UI, navigate to System > Administration > CLI Access or review user privilege assignments to determine if authenticated privileged users can access the CLI
    Affected if CLI access is granted to users with privileged (read-write) administrative rights, enabling them to issue IPSec configuration commands
  3. Verify IPSec VPN configuration capability
    Review whether any IPSec VPN policies or tunnels are configured on the Firebox. In the Web UI, examine VPN > IPSec or use CLI commands like 'show vpn' to list active IPSec configurations
    Affected if IPSec VPN is enabled or configured, as the vulnerability exists in the CLI parser for IPSec configuration commands specifically
  4. Inspect CLI command logs
    Review Firebox logs and audit trails for IPSec-related CLI commands. Use the Web UI Log View or CLI 'show log' command, filtering for commands containing 'ipsec', 'vpn', or configuration changes
    Affected if There are records of IPSec configuration CLI commands being executed, particularly from unexpected sources or at unusual times
  5. Check for unauthorized CLI access attempts
    Examine authentication logs and CLI audit logs for failed login attempts or unusual command patterns. Look for indicators of privilege escalation or anomalous IPSec command sequences
    Affected if Multiple failed CLI authentication attempts or suspicious command patterns targeting IPSec configuration are observed

A user is affected if they are running a Fireware OS version within the vulnerable ranges AND have CLI access enabled with the ability to configure IPSec settings.

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 12.5.14 / 12.11.5 / 2025.1.3 or later
Fixed in 12.5.1412.11.52025.1.3
Interim mitigation

Upgrade Fireware OS to a version beyond the fixed releases (11.12.5, 12.11.5, 12.5.14, or 2025.1.3 and later). Until patched, limit CLI access to trusted administrative users only and monitor for suspicious IPSec configuration commands.

Recommended fix High confidence

Upgrade to Fireware OS 12.5.14, 12.11.5, or 2025.1.3 depending on the current branch (11.x/12.x/2025.1.x)

  1. 1. Identify the currently running Fireware OS version by logging into the Firebox Web UI or using the CLI command 'fwsm --cli' and running 'version'
  2. 2. Determine which upgrade path applies: if running 11.x, plan upgrade to 12.5.14 or later (or 12.11.5 if applicable); if running 12.0-12.11.4, upgrade to 12.11.5; if running 12.5.x up to 12.5.13, upgrade to 12.5.14; if running 2025.1.x up to 2025.1.2, upgrade to 2025.1.3
  3. 3. Download the appropriate firmware upgrade file from the WatchGuard portal at www.watchguard.com
  4. 4. Back up the current Firebox configuration via the Web UI (Setup > Backup) or CLI
  5. 5. Upload and install the firmware via the Firebox Web UI (System > Firmware) or CLI using 'fwsm -cli' then 'upgrade <firmware-file>'
  6. 6. After upgrade completes, verify the new version is running using 'version' command
  7. 7. Revert to the backup configuration if issues arise and contact WatchGuard support
Caveat Major version upgrades (e.g., 11.x to 12.x) may introduce configuration or feature changes; review WatchGuard release notes before upgrading

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

Fix this in Fireware Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
22.0 hours of engineering $3,860
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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-2025-12195 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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What belongs here
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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