# CVE-2021-44168: Fortinet FortiOS Arbitrary File Download

> A local authenticated attacker can execute arbitrary code by exploiting a lack of integrity checks during the restoration of source visualization files.

- **Severity:** Low 3.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N/E:P/RL:U/RC:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 10 Dec 2021 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 4 Jan 2022
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-689x-phc2-9p4m

## What is CVE-2021-44168?

CVE-2021-44168 is a low-severity code injection vulnerability in Fortinet Fortios, published on 4 Jan 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official 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.

Weakness: CWE-494 (Download of Code Without Integrity Check)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-44168?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Fortinet Fortios.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-44168?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-44168 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 24 Dec 2021.

## Is CVE-2021-44168 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2021-44168 in the wild since at least 10 Dec 2021.

Public exploit code:

- A download of code without integrity check vulnerability in the "execute restore src-vis" command of FortiOS before 7.0.3. (github_poc): https://github.com/0xhaggis/CVE-2021-44168

## Other vulnerabilities in Fortinet Fortios

- [CVE-2024-23113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-23113/): Fortinet Multiple Products Format String (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-40684](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-40684/): Fortinet Multiple Products Authentication Bypass (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-55591](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-55591/): Fortinet FortiOS and FortiProxy Authentication Bypass (critical 9.6, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-21762](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-21762/): Fortinet FortiOS Out-of-Bound Write (critical 9.6, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-42475](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-42475/): Fortinet FortiOS Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (critical 9.3, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-44168 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-44168 is a low-severity code injection vulnerability in Fortinet Fortios, published on 4 Jan 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2021-44168 in the wild since at least 10 Dec 2021.

Affected product: Fortinet Fortios. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-44168/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-44168/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-44168
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-44168
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-44168

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-44168/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.