{"id":"CVE-2021-44168","published":"2022-01-04T13:15:07Z","modified":"2026-06-17T04:11:59Z","title":"Fortinet FortiOS Arbitrary File Download","vendor":"Fortinet","product":"FortiOS","tier":"core","eol":null,"description":{"text":"A download of code without integrity check vulnerability in the \"execute restore src-vis\" command of FortiOS before 7.0.3 may allow a local authenticated attacker to download arbitrary files on the device via specially crafted update packages.","provenance":"source","from":"NVD"},"summary":{"text":"A download of code without integrity check flaw in the \"execute restore src-vis\" command of Fortinet FortiOS (versions before 7.0.3) lets the product fetch and process update content without verifying its integrity. A local attacker who is already authenticated on the device, with no user interaction needed, can use specially crafted update packages to download arbitrary files from the device.","provenance":"ai","model":"claude-haiku-5-5","generatedAt":"2026-10-23T07:14:54Z"},"cvss":{"score":7.8,"severity":"HIGH","version":"3.1","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","provenance":"source","from":"NVD"},"epss":{"score":0.00906,"percentile":0.59767,"date":"2026-10-29","provenance":"source"},"kev":{"dateAdded":"2021-12-10","dueDate":"2021-12-24","ransomware":false,"requiredAction":"Apply updates per vendor instructions.","notes":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-44168","provenance":"source"},"vulncheckKev":{"dateAdded":"2021-12-07","exploitedFirstSeen":"2021-12-07","ransomware":false,"evidence":[{"url":"https://www.fortiguard.com/psirt/FG-IR-21-201","date":"2021-12-07"},{"url":"https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json","date":"2021-12-10"}],"evidenceTotal":2,"provenance":"source"},"exploited":true,"otx":{"pulseCount":50,"pulses":[{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 29, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ae20c1db17e7057ae7d9ad1","created":"2026-10-28"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 28, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ae0ba7e0e2a97ff7b218819","created":"2026-10-27"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 27, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6adf68b85c3e852f3c111d18","created":"2026-10-26"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 24, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6adb740e397c3ad4799aa4cd","created":"2026-10-23"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 23, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ada236fcfba2dfa730ea482","created":"2026-10-22"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 22, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad8d33a077cbb5cab524d80","created":"2026-10-21"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 21, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad78130c4d1ac2be83a8b6d","created":"2026-10-20"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 20, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad62f63c24a405a3423cc13","created":"2026-10-19"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 19, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad4dda174e5797d0bd238b7","created":"2026-10-18"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 18, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad38c22e1848f8189d1c121","created":"2026-10-17"}],"provenance":"machine"},"cwes":[{"id":"CWE-494","name":"Download of Code Without Integrity Check"}],"references":[{"url":"https://fortiguard.com/psirt/FG-IR-21-201","tags":["Vendor Advisory"]},{"url":"https://fortiguard.com/psirt/FG-IR-21-201","tags":["Vendor Advisory"]},{"url":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-44168","tags":["US Government Resource"]}],"techniques":[{"id":"T1078.003","name":"Local Accounts","tactics":["initial-access","persistence","privilege-escalation","stealth"],"provenance":"source","basis":"ctid-kev","bases":["ctid-kev"],"basisDetail":"CTID Mappings Explorer KEV 07/28/2025 (ATT&CK 16.1); capability: Improper Access Control","mappingType":"exploitation_technique","evidence":[],"comment":"CVE-2021-44168 is an unverified update download vulnerability that can be exploited by adversaries with local access creating specifically crafted download packages. ","confidence":"high"},{"id":"T1601","name":"Modify System Image","tactics":["defense-impairment"],"provenance":"source","basis":"ctid-kev","bases":["ctid-kev"],"basisDetail":"CTID Mappings Explorer KEV 07/28/2025 (ATT&CK 16.1); capability: Improper Access Control","mappingType":"primary_impact","evidence":[],"comment":"CVE-2021-44168 is an unverified update download vulnerability that can be exploited by adversaries with local access creating specifically crafted download packages. ","confidence":"high"}],"reports":[],"affected":[],"advisories":[],"euvd":{"id":"EUVD-2021-31018","url":"https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/EUVD-2021-31018","exploited":true,"exploitedSince":"2021-12-10","provenance":"source"},"exploits":[],"exploitSources":{"pocGithub":{"count":1,"skipped":0,"earliest":"2023-02-08","earliestUrl":"https://github.com/0xhaggis/CVE-2021-44168","repos":[{"name":"0xhaggis/CVE-2021-44168","url":"https://github.com/0xhaggis/CVE-2021-44168","stars":21,"created":"2023-02-08"}]},"first":{"date":"2023-02-08","source":"PoC-in-GitHub","url":"https://github.com/0xhaggis/CVE-2021-44168"},"provenance":"source"},"exploitRefs":[],"flow":[{"stage":"exploitation","techniques":["T1078.003"],"provenance":"source"},{"stage":"primary","techniques":["T1601"],"provenance":"source"}],"timeline":[{"date":"2021-12-07","kind":"exploited-reported","label":"Exploitation first reported (VulnCheck KEV evidence)","url":"https://www.fortiguard.com/psirt/FG-IR-21-201","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2021-12-10","kind":"kev","label":"Added to CISA KEV","url":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2021-12-10","kind":"euvd-exploited","label":"ENISA EUVD: exploited","url":"https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/EUVD-2021-31018","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2022-01-04","kind":"published","label":"Published (NVD)","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-44168","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2023-02-08","kind":"exploit-public","label":"First public exploit: PoC-in-GitHub","url":"https://github.com/0xhaggis/CVE-2021-44168","provenance":"source"}],"speed":{"daysToPublicExploit":400,"firstExploitFrom":"PoC-in-GitHub","daysToKev":null},"priority":{"score":60.4,"factors":[{"name":"In a KEV catalog","points":35.0,"detail":"listed in CISA KEV and VulnCheck KEV"},{"name":"Recent KEV listing","points":0.0,"detail":"added 1787 days ago"},{"name":"Known ransomware use","points":0.0,"detail":"not known"},{"name":"EPSS percentile","points":11.95,"detail":"percentile 0.5977"},{"name":"Named in threat reports","points":0.0,"detail":"0 reports"},{"name":"Public exploit code","points":5.0,"detail":"1 PoC-in-GitHub repo"},{"name":"Mentioned in OTX pulses","points":3.0,"detail":"50 pulses"},{"name":"CVSS severity","points":5.46,"detail":"base score 7.8"},{"name":"End-of-life product","points":0.0,"detail":"supported or unknown"}]}}