CVE-2022-26318 — WatchGuard Firebox and XTM Appliances Arbitrary Code Execution
On WatchGuard Firebox and XTM appliances, an unauthenticated user can execute arbitrary code, aka FBX-22786. This vulnerability impacts Fireware OS before 12.7.2_U2, 12.x before 12.1.3_U8, and 12.2.x through 12.5.x before 12.5.9_U2.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- Confirmed exploitation (CISA KEV)+35
- Public exploit/PoC (metasploit, github)+18
- EPSS 78.2% (30-day exploitation probability)+15
- Technical severity (critical)+10
- Automatable exploitation (SSVC)+3
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
No fix documented by the sources we poll. That does not mean none exists: check the vendor advisory.
CISA required action CISA
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
US federal deadline: Apr 15, 2022 — passed 1644 day(s) ago
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (WatchGuard Fireware).
- Treat as emergency remediation: the CVE is in CISA KEV (confirmed exploitation).
- The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
- No fix documented in the sources: reduce exposure and monitor the vendor advisory.
- EPSS ahead of 100% of scored CVEs: prioritize it in the patch queue.
- Search available logs for exploit probes, errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WatchGuard | Fireware |
≥ 12.0.0 and < 12.1.3≥ 12.5 and < 12.5.9≥ 12.7.0 and < 12.7.2version 12.1.3version 12.1.3-u1version 12.1.3-u2version 12.1.3-u3version 12.1.3-u4 and 5 moreversion 12.1.3-u5version 12.1.3-u6version 12.1.3-u7version 12.5.9-u1version 12.7.2-u1 |
Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.8 | CVSS 3.1 | Critical | 3.9 | 5.9 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 9.8 | CVSS 3.1 | Critical | 3.9 | 5.9 | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 9.8 | CVSS 3.1 | Critical | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
| 9.8 | CVSS 3.1 | Critical | — | — | CISA-ADP via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| 7.5 | CVSS 2.0 | High | 10.0 | 6.4 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) CISA KEV details CISA
CISA lists a CVE once it has evidence of exploitation against real targets.
CISA records ransomware use only for campaigns it has confirmed, so “Unknown” means unrecorded, not ruled out. The deadline binds US federal agencies; for everyone else it is a reference date.
Public exploits, PoCs and detection templates
Public code that demonstrates or tests the flaw raises the odds of mass exploitation — and Nuclei templates help find vulnerable assets in your environment.
- WatchGuard XTM Firebox Unauthenticated Remote Command Execution good Aug 29, 2022
- misterxid/watchguard_cve-2022-26318 ★ 11 Mar 28, 2022
- Watchguard RCE POC CVE-2022-26318 ★ 2 Apr 18, 2022
- BabyTeam1024/CVE-2022-26318 ★ 2 May 21, 2022
- PoC for Watchguard CVE-2022-26318 updated to Python3.12 ★ 0 Dec 5, 2024
Warning: public PoCs are sometimes disguised malware. Use them only for authorized testing in an isolated environment. This portal does not host exploit code — it only points to the sources.
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 14, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 78.16%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
- Hunt retroactively in logs from before Mar 25, 2022 (KEV listing): exploitation may have started earlier.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- Affected products added · watchguard/fireware
- CVSS changed · 9.8
- Source status changed · → Analyzed
- Added to CISA KEV (detected)
- Record created in this database
- 2022
- Added to CISA KEV catalog
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 2× References added · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
References
4 on the record
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- High CVE-2026-86134 Fireware OS Pre-Authentication NULL Pointer Dereference Allows Remote Denial of Service 15d
- High CVE-2026-86136 Fireware OS Missing Authorization in wgagent Management API Allows Denial of Service - Variant A 15d
- High CVE-2026-86133 Fireware OS Pre-Authentication Integer Underflow in iked Allows Remote Denial of Service 15d
- High CVE-2026-90441 Fireware OS Missing Authorization in wgagent Management API Allows Denial of Service - Variant B 15d
- High CVE-2026-86104 Fireware OS Resource Exhaustion in Login Process Allows Denial of Service 15d
- Critical CVE-2026-86131 Fireware OS Code Injection in BOVPN Over TLS Client Allows Remote Code Execution 15d
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No fixed version, patch or mitigation documented.
- No CWE classification.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2022-26318 is "WatchGuard Firebox and XTM Appliances Arbitrary Code Execution", rated Critical. It affects Fireware (WatchGuard); versions are in the scope table. It is in CISA KEV: there is evidence of real-world exploitation. CVSS 9.8 describes technical severity. EPSS 78.16% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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