CVE-2022-41328
CVE-2022-41328 is a security flaw in Fortinet FortiOS, the operating system on Fortinet’s FortiGate firewalls. Attackers can reach parts of Fortinet FortiOS that should be locked to them. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 14 Mar 2023.[1]
Fortinet FortiOS 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 a path traversal in Fortinet FortiOS. In its words: “Fortinet FortiOS contains a path traversal vulnerability that may allow a local privileged attacker to read and write files via crafted CLI commands.”[1]
The CVE record adds: “A improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory vulnerability ('path traversal') [CWE-22] in Fortinet FortiOS version 7.2.0 through 7.2.3, 7.0.0 through 7.0.9 and before 6.4.11 allows a privileged attacker to read and write files on the underlying Linux system via crafted CLI commands.”[2]
The underlying weakness is path traversal (CWE-22), in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.
It scores 7.1 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it high, 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 FortiOS.
Most families won’t have Fortinet FortiOS; it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 14 Mar 2023, 7 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 4 Apr 2023 to fix it.[1]
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 11%. That’s in the top 5% of the flaws it scores.[4]
CISA assesses it as not automatable: each attack takes some work.
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 FortiOS 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 4 Apr 2023 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 |
|---|---|
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 7.1.[2] | |
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks.[1] | |
| 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 11%.[4] |
See also
Other Fortinet FortiOS flaws
- CVE-2025-68686: exposure of sensitive information to an unauthorized actor ·
- CVE-2019-6693: use of hard-coded credentials ·
- CVE-2024-21762: out-of-bound write ·
- CVE-2022-42475: heap-based buffer overflow ·
- CVE-2021-44168: arbitrary file download ·
- CVE-2020-12812: SSL VPN improper authentication ·
Other Fortinet flaws
- CVE-2025-61624, Fortinet products: path traversal ·
- CVE-2026-104286, Fortinet FortiMail: path traversal ·
- CVE-2025-25249, Fortinet products: heap-based buffer overflow ·
- CVE-2026-39808, Fortinet FortiSandbox: OS command injection ·
- CVE-2026-25089, Fortinet FortiSandbox: OS command injection ·
Other path traversal flaws
- CVE-2021-3199, ONLYOFFICE Docs: server path traversal ·
- CVE-2026-93616, Check Point products: path traversal ·
- CVE-2026-66384, JFrog Artifactory: improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory ·
- CVE-2026-59310, Broadcom VMware vCenter: path traversal ·
- CVE-2026-48282, Adobe ColdFusion: path traversal ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2023-24880, Microsoft Windows: smartScreen security feature bypass ·
- CVE-2023-23397, Microsoft Office: outlook privilege escalation ·
Every Fortinet flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in March 2023
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Fortinet FortiOS Path Traversal Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 14 Mar 2023.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2022-41328 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 7 Mar 2023.
- ^ Fortinet. Advisories and fixes: fortiguard.com, fortiguard.com.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.107, percentile 95.8, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2022-41328”. 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.