CVE-2022-23176

KEVWatchGuard Firebox and XTM Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Description

WatchGuard Firebox and XTM appliances allow a remote attacker with unprivileged credentials to access the system with a privileged management session via exposed management access.

WatchGuard Firebox and XTM appliances allow a remote attacker with unprivileged credentials to access the system with a privileged management session via exposed management access. This vulnerability impacts Fireware OS before 12.7.2_U1, 12.x before 12.1.3_U3, and 12.2.x through 12.5.x before 12.5.7_U3.

CVSS 3.1 vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

PublishedFeb 24, 2022

Last modifiedJun 17, 2026

Added to KEVApr 11, 2022

Remediation dueMay 2, 2022

References

arstechnica.com/information-technology/2022/04/watchguard-failed-to-disclose-critical-flaw-exploited-by-russian-hackers/Third Party Advisory
securityportal.watchguard.comVendor Advisory
watchguard.com/support/release-notes/fireware/12/en-US/EN_ReleaseNotes_Fireware_12_1_3_U7/index.htmlRelease NotesVendor Advisory
watchguard.com/support/release-notes/fireware/12/en-US/EN_ReleaseNotes_Fireware_12_7/index.htmlRelease NotesVendor Advisory
watchguard.com/support/release-notes/fireware/12/en-US/EN_ReleaseNotes_Fireware_12_7_2/index.htmlRelease NotesVendor Advisory
cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2022-23176US Government Resource

0 recent articles mention this CVE

Risk assessment · High

Actively exploited. Patch immediately.

Exploitation: Confirmed in the wild (CISA KEV)
Federal remediation deadline: Overdue by 1639 days
CVSS: 8.8 HIGH
EPSS (30-day exploit probability): 10.8% · top 4% of all CVEs
Weakness: NVD-CWE-noinfo
Attack vector: Network, remotely reachable

Recommended actions

1.Apply updates per vendor instructions.
2.Treat as emergency change: patch or isolate internet-facing instances first.
3.Review exposure: confirm which instances are reachable from the internet and restrict access until patched.
4.Hunt for compromise: review logs for the disclosure window, not just from the patch date.

Assessment is derived automatically from the live signals above; verify against your own asset inventory.