CVE-2025-22862 is an authentication bypass vulnerability classified under CWE-288, affecting Fortinet FortiProxy and FortiOS products across multiple versions (7.6.0 through 7.6.2, 7.4.0 through 7.4.8, 7.2 all versions, and 7.0.5 and above). The vulnerability arises from improper handling of Webhook actions within the Automation Stitch component, which is designed to automate security workflows. An attacker who is already authenticated with high privileges can exploit this flaw by triggering a malicious Webhook action, effectively bypassing intended authentication controls and escalating their privileges further. This escalation can lead to full compromise of the device, impacting confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The vulnerability requires no user interaction but does require the attacker to have some level of authenticated access, limiting the attack surface to insiders or compromised accounts. The CVSS v3.1 score of 6.3 reflects a medium severity, considering the attack vector is local (AV:L), with low attack complexity (AC:L), but requiring high privileges (PR:H). The scope is unchanged (S:U), and the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high (C:H/I:H/A:H). No public exploits have been reported yet, but the potential for misuse in targeted attacks exists. The vulnerability was reserved in January 2025 and published in October 2025, indicating recent discovery and disclosure. Fortinet has not provided patch links in the data, so organizations should monitor Fortinet advisories for updates and mitigations.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk particularly to those relying on Fortinet FortiProxy and FortiOS for network security and proxy services. Successful exploitation could allow attackers with existing authenticated access to escalate privileges, potentially gaining full control over the affected devices. This could lead to interception or manipulation of network traffic, disruption of services, and exposure of sensitive data. Critical infrastructure sectors such as finance, energy, telecommunications, and government agencies that deploy Fortinet products extensively could face operational disruptions and data breaches. The requirement for authenticated access somewhat limits the threat to insiders or attackers who have already compromised credentials, but the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability means that even limited exploitation could have severe consequences. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as threat actors may develop exploits post-disclosure. Organizations in Europe should consider this vulnerability a priority for patching and configuration review to prevent privilege escalation attacks that could undermine their security posture.

European organizations should implement a multi-layered mitigation approach: 1) Immediately monitor Fortinet's official security advisories for patches addressing CVE-2025-22862 and apply them promptly once available. 2) Restrict access to the Automation Stitch component and Webhook configurations to the minimum necessary administrative users to reduce the attack surface. 3) Audit and review all existing Automation Stitch workflows and Webhook actions for suspicious or unauthorized configurations that could be exploited. 4) Implement strong authentication mechanisms, including multi-factor authentication (MFA), to reduce the risk of credential compromise leading to authenticated access. 5) Monitor logs and network traffic for unusual Webhook activity or privilege escalation attempts. 6) Employ network segmentation to isolate FortiProxy and FortiOS management interfaces from general user networks. 7) Conduct regular security awareness training for administrators to recognize and report suspicious activities. 8) Prepare incident response plans specifically addressing potential exploitation of privilege escalation vulnerabilities in network security devices.