CVE-2021-44168 — Fortinet FortiOS Arbitrary File Download

In brief

Severity · CVSS: High7.8CVSS 3.1, High
EPSS: 0.87%
CISA KEV: Known exploited, listed since 10 Dec 2021
CERT-FR: No advisory or alert referenced in the catalog
Vendor: Fortinet
Published · Modified: 4 Jan 2022 · 17 Jun 2026
Last verified: 1 Oct 2026 at 09:30 UTC

Summary

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.

Weakness: CWE-494

Title, description and the vendor's statements are quoted from the CVE record; a vendor's advisory is summarised in Patcharo's words, with a link.

Affected and fixed versions

Per product and release branch, as the vendor's CVE record and official advisory state them. A fixed release is shown only when a document names it: the vendor's, or CERT-FR's for Check Point, with its source.

No precise fixed release is published in the sources Patcharo follows.

Fortinet FortiOS

Source: CVE-2021-44168

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Affected versionsFortiOS before 7.0.3
First fixed releaseNot published in the sources followed

No precise fixed release is published for this product in the sources Patcharo follows.

Remediation

Vendor guidance

CISA KEV required action

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

CISA due date: 24 Dec 2021

SourceCISA KEV

Vendor advisory

The vendor has published an advisory for this CVE: check it for fixed releases and mitigations.

SourceFortiGuard FG-IR-21-201

Last verified 1 Oct 2026 at 09:30 UTC

Known exploitation

Added to CISA KEV on 10 Dec 2021

Federal remediation due date: 24 Dec 2021

The CISA required action is shown under Remediation.

0.87% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days (percentile 57%).

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

CERT-FR

No CERT-FR advisory or alert of the last two years references this CVE, for the vendors Patcharo covers.

Timeline

10 Dec 2021Added to CISA KEV
24 Dec 2021CISA remediation due date
4 Jan 2022Published by the source
17 Jun 2026Source record last modified
29 Sept 2026EPSS score computed
1 Oct 2026Last verified by Patcharo

Official sources

Fortinet (CVE record)retrieved 1 Oct 2026 at 09:30 UTC
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilitiesretrieved 1 Oct 2026 at 09:28 UTC
NVDretrieved 27 Sept 2026 at 23:44 UTC
FIRST EPSSretrieved 30 Sept 2026 at 00:17 UTC
FortiGuard FG-IR-21-201retrieved 1 Oct 2026 at 09:30 UTC

Vendor advisory

https://fortiguard.com/psirt/FG-IR-21-201

References

https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-44168

Fortinet · CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities · NVD · FIRST EPSS · FortiGuard FG-IR-21-201

How Patcharo reads this

Affected and fixed releases come from the vendor's structured statements and are matched against exact versions; CVSS from NVD, exploitation from CISA KEV and the vendor's own advisory, probability from FIRST EPSS. Missing data stays Unknown and never becomes Not affected.

Read the methodology Read the guide: FortiOS version numbering: branches, patch releases and the Feature and Mature labels