# CVE-2025-9242: WatchGuard Firebox Out-of-Bounds Write

> Remote unauthenticated attackers can execute arbitrary code on WatchGuard Firebox devices via an out-of-bounds write in the iked process.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 12 Nov 2025 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 17 Sep 2025
- **Updated:** 10 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-g6q4-chqv-724q

## What is CVE-2025-9242?

CVE-2025-9242 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Watchguard Fireware, published on 17 Sep 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An Out-of-bounds Write vulnerability in the WatchGuard Fireware OS iked process may allow a remote unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code. This vulnerability affects both the mobile user VPN with IKEv2 and the branch office VPN using IKEv2 when configured with a dynamic gateway peer.
If the Firebox was previously configured with the mobile user VPN with IKEv2 or a branch office VPN using IKEv2 to a dynamic gateway peer, and both of those configurations have since been deleted, that Firebox may still be vulnerable if a branch office VPN to a static gateway peer is still configured.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-9242?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Watchguard Fireware.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-9242?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-9242 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 3 Dec 2025.

## Is CVE-2025-9242 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2025-9242 in the wild since at least 12 Nov 2025.

Public exploit code:

- https://github.com/watchtowrlabs/watchTowr-vs-WatchGuard-CVE-2025-9242 (github_poc): https://github.com/watchtowrlabs/watchTowr-vs-WatchGuard-CVE-2025-9242

## Other vulnerabilities in Watchguard Fireware

- [CVE-2022-26318](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-26318/): WatchGuard Firebox and XTM Appliances Arbitrary Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-14733](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-14733/): WatchGuard Firebox Out of Bounds Write (critical 9.3, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-23176](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23176/): WatchGuard Firebox and XTM Privilege Escalation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-31789](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-31789/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2013-6021](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6021/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-9242 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-9242 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Watchguard Fireware, published on 17 Sep 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2025-9242 in the wild since at least 12 Nov 2025.

Affected product: Watchguard Fireware. 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-2025-9242/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-9242/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-9242
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-9242
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-9242

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-9242/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.