CVE-2021-44168: Fortinet FortiOS Arbitrary File Download
- Is it exploited?
Yes. CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 10 Dec 2021, 25 days before the CVE record was published.
- How likely is exploitation in the next 30 days?
- 0.9%
EPSS score, percentile 59.7 of all scored records
- How severe?
- 3.3 Low
CVSS v3.1 base score, given by the CNA
- What should I do?
CISA deadline 24 Dec 2021. Apply updates per vendor instructions.
The CVE record links no vendor advisory, patch or mitigation.
- Which versions are affected?
Affected
- FortiOS before 7.0.3
Source: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, 2026.10.28, as of 28 Oct 2026; FIRST Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS), v2026.06.15, as of 28 Oct 2026; CVE List V5 (CVE Program), cve_2026-10-28_0000Z, as of 28 Oct 2026. About the data.
What to do
Required action, set by CISA
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
CISA due date for this action: 24 December 2021.
Advisories and patches
The CVE record links no vendor advisory, patch or mitigation.
Linked from CISA's catalog entry
Affected products and versions
As listed in the CVE record.
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | FortiOS before 7.0.3 |
Source: CVE List V5 (CVE Program), cve_2026-10-28_0000Z, as of 28 Oct 2026. About the data.
About this vulnerability
Fortinet FortiOS "execute restore src-vis" downloads code without integrity checking, allowing an attacker to arbitrarily download files.
Summary: CISA's KEV catalog, as of 28 Oct 2026.
- CISA added CVE-2021-44168 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog on 10 Dec 2021.
- CISA's ransomware flag for this entry is "Unknown": no evidence of ransomware use in the catalog, which is not proof of none.
- The due date CISA sets for the required action is 24 Dec 2021.
- The CVE record was published on 4 Jan 2022, 25 days after it was added to KEV.
- The CVE record carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 3.3 (Low), given by its CNA.
- FIRST's EPSS model puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.9% (percentile 59.7), as of 28 Oct 2026.
- CISA's SSVC assessment in the CVE record: exploitation active, automatable no, technical impact partial.
Source: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, 2026.10.28, as of 28 Oct 2026; CVE List V5 (CVE Program), cve_2026-10-28_0000Z, as of 28 Oct 2026; FIRST Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS), v2026.06.15, as of 28 Oct 2026. About the data.
Description
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.
Source: CVE List V5 (CVE Program), cve_2026-10-28_0000Z, as of 28 Oct 2026. About the data.
Weakness
- CWE-494: Download of Code Without Integrity Check
CWE and CAPEC are maintained by MITRE; the entries are those named in the CVE record and the KEV entry.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 10 Dec 2021 | Added to CISA KEV |
| 24 Dec 2021 | CISA due date for the required action |
| 4 Jan 2022 | CVE record published |
| 21 Oct 2025 | CVE record last updated |
References
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- CVE-2025-68686: Fortinet FortiOS Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor Vulnerability
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