CVE-2025-64446 is a critical security vulnerability affecting multiple versions of Fortinet FortiWeb, a widely deployed web application firewall and security appliance. The flaw is a relative path traversal vulnerability that exists in FortiWeb versions 7.0.0 through 8.0.1. This vulnerability allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to craft specific HTTP or HTTPS requests that exploit the path traversal to execute administrative commands on the underlying system. The attack vector requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it highly exploitable over the network. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability by enabling full administrative control, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate security policies, access sensitive data, or disrupt service. The CVSS v3.1 score of 9.4 reflects the critical nature of this issue with an attack vector of network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), and no user interaction (UI:N). Although no known exploits are publicly reported yet, the vulnerability’s characteristics suggest it could be weaponized rapidly. FortiWeb appliances are commonly used in enterprise environments to protect web applications, making this vulnerability a significant risk for organizations relying on Fortinet’s security infrastructure. The lack of available patches at the time of disclosure necessitates immediate risk mitigation and monitoring until updates are released.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-64446 is substantial. FortiWeb appliances often protect critical web applications and infrastructure, including financial services, government portals, healthcare systems, and industrial control systems. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized administrative access, allowing attackers to alter security configurations, exfiltrate sensitive data, or cause denial of service. This could result in data breaches, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR violations), operational disruptions, and reputational damage. The vulnerability’s network-exploitable nature means attackers can launch attacks remotely without authentication, increasing the risk of widespread compromise. Organizations with externally facing FortiWeb devices are particularly vulnerable. The criticality of affected sectors in Europe, combined with Fortinet’s market presence, amplifies the potential for targeted attacks by cybercriminals or state-sponsored actors aiming to disrupt or infiltrate European digital infrastructure.

1. Immediately inventory all FortiWeb appliances and verify affected versions. 2. Apply vendor patches or updates as soon as they become available; monitor Fortinet advisories closely. 3. Until patches are deployed, restrict external network access to FortiWeb management interfaces using firewall rules or VPNs. 4. Implement strict network segmentation to isolate FortiWeb devices from less trusted networks. 5. Enable and review detailed logging on FortiWeb to detect anomalous HTTP/HTTPS requests indicative of exploitation attempts. 6. Deploy intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) with signatures or heuristics targeting path traversal and command injection patterns. 7. Conduct regular vulnerability scans and penetration tests focused on FortiWeb appliances. 8. Educate security teams on this vulnerability to ensure rapid incident response if exploitation is detected. 9. Consider deploying web application firewalls in front of FortiWeb or additional layers of security to reduce attack surface. 10. Maintain backups and recovery plans for FortiWeb configurations and critical systems to minimize downtime in case of compromise.