CVE-2022-40684
CVE-2022-40684 is a security flaw in Fortinet products, Fortinet’s business security equipment. Attackers can get into Fortinet products without a valid password. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 11 Oct 2022, and says ransomware gangs have used it.[1]
Fortinet products is business software or equipment. Most families won’t have it, but attackers break into it to get inside companies, and from there to what those companies hold about their customers, patients and staff. Fortinet has published a fix or advice.
Description
CISA calls it an authentication bypass in Fortinet Multiple Products. In its words: “Fortinet FortiOS, FortiProxy, and FortiSwitchManager contain an authentication bypass vulnerability that could allow an unauthenticated attacker to perform operations on the administrative interface via specially crafted HTTP or HTTPS requests.”[1]
The CVE record adds: “An authentication bypass using an alternate path or channel [CWE-288] in Fortinet FortiOS version 7.2.0 through 7.2.1 and 7.0.0 through 7.0.6, FortiProxy version 7.2.0 and version 7.0.0 through 7.0.6 and FortiSwitchManager version 7.2.0 and 7.0.0 allows an unauthenticated atttacker to perform operations on the administrative interface via specially crafted HTTP or HTTPS requests.”[2]
The underlying weakness is authentication bypass (CWE-288), in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.
It scores 9.8 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it critical, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record doesn’t list version ranges for it; Fortinet’s advisory has them[3]. CISA names the product as Fortinet Multiple Products.
Most families won’t have Fortinet products; it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 11 Oct 2022. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 1 Nov 2022 to fix it.[1] CISA says ransomware gangs have used it.
FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at over 99%. That’s in the top 1% of the flaws it scores.[4]
CISA assesses it as automatable: attackers can run it against many targets at once.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
Fortinet has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply updates per vendor instructions.”[1]
- Check whether you use it.Fortinet products is business software or equipment, so most families won’t have it. If you run a business, or work from home on company equipment, ask whoever looks after your IT.
- Send this page to your IT person.Ask them to confirm it’s fixed, or not in use. CISA gave US government agencies until 1 Nov 2022 to fix it.
- If it can’t be fixed, take it offline.CISA’s advice when there’s no fix is to stop using the product, or take it off the internet, until there is one.
You can’t fix someone else’s server, but you can watch for what follows a break-in like this: a breach notice, a password reset you didn’t ask for, or a scam message that knows things it shouldn’t. HARD watches for those for you and your family.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks, noting that ransomware gangs have used it.[1] | |
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 9.8.[2] | |
| CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1] | |
| FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at over 99%.[4] |
See also
Other Fortinet products flaws
- CVE-2025-61624: path traversal ·
- CVE-2025-25249: heap-based buffer overflow ·
- CVE-2026-24858: authentication bypass using an alternate path or channel ·
- CVE-2025-59718: improper verification of cryptographic signature ·
- CVE-2025-32756: stack-based buffer overflow ·
- CVE-2024-23113: format string ·
Other Fortinet flaws
- CVE-2026-104286, Fortinet FortiMail: path traversal ·
- CVE-2025-68686, Fortinet FortiOS: exposure of sensitive information to an unauthorized actor ·
- CVE-2026-39808, Fortinet FortiSandbox: OS command injection ·
- CVE-2026-25089, Fortinet FortiSandbox: OS command injection ·
- CVE-2026-21643, Fortinet FortiClient EMS: SQL injection ·
Other authentication bypass flaws
- CVE-2026-20079, Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC) and Security Cloud Control (SCC) Firewall Management: firewall management center authentication bypass using an alternate path or channel ·
- CVE-2026-19490, Citrix NetScaler: authentication bypass using an alternate path or channel ·
- CVE-2026-18556, N-able N-central: authentication bypass using an alternate path or channel ·
- CVE-2026-18577, N-able N-central: authentication bypass using an alternate path or channel ·
- CVE-2026-1603, Ivanti Endpoint Manager (EPM): authentication bypass ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2022-41033, Microsoft Windows COM+ Event System Service: privilege escalation ·
Every Fortinet flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in October 2022
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Fortinet Multiple Products Authentication Bypass Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 11 Oct 2022.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2022-40684 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 18 Oct 2022.
- ^ Fortinet. Advisories and fixes: fortiguard.com, fortiguard.com.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 1.000, percentile 100.0, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2022-40684”. The official CVE record.
This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.