The FortiWeb Fabric Connector, a component of Fortinet's web application firewall ecosystem, suffers from a critical SQL Injection vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-25257. This vulnerability exists in versions 7.0 through 7.6.x and is exploitable without authentication, making it particularly dangerous. The issue arises from improper sanitization of input in the Authorization header of API requests to the /api/fabric/device/status endpoint. Attackers can inject SQL payloads that manipulate backend database queries, which can escalate to remote code execution on the underlying system. The exploit leverages the injection to bypass authentication and execute arbitrary commands, potentially leading to full system compromise. Proof-of-concept exploit code is available in Python, demonstrating how to send malicious requests to vulnerable endpoints. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of systems running the affected FortiWeb versions. Given the critical severity and ease of exploitation, this vulnerability represents a significant threat vector for organizations relying on Fortinet's FortiWeb Fabric Connector for web application security and integration.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability is substantial. FortiWeb Fabric Connector is used to integrate Fortinet's web application firewall with other security and network infrastructure components. A successful exploit can lead to unauthorized access, data exfiltration, manipulation of security controls, and full system compromise. This can disrupt business operations, expose sensitive data, and undermine trust in security infrastructure. Organizations in sectors such as finance, government, healthcare, and critical infrastructure, which often deploy Fortinet products, face heightened risks. The ability to exploit this vulnerability without authentication and remotely increases the attack surface, potentially enabling widespread attacks if exploited at scale. Additionally, the lack of currently available patches or mitigations increases the urgency for organizations to implement compensating controls. The reputational damage and regulatory consequences under GDPR for data breaches resulting from exploitation could be severe.

1. Immediate network-level restrictions: Limit access to the FortiWeb Fabric Connector API endpoints to trusted management networks only, using firewalls and segmentation. 2. Deploy Web Application Firewalls (WAF) or Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) with custom rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns, especially in Authorization headers. 3. Monitor logs for suspicious API requests containing SQL injection payloads or anomalous Authorization headers. 4. Disable or restrict the vulnerable API endpoints if not required for operational purposes. 5. Apply strict input validation and sanitization on all API inputs, particularly Authorization headers, as soon as vendor patches become available. 6. Conduct vulnerability scanning and penetration testing focused on FortiWeb Fabric Connector instances to identify exposure. 7. Maintain an incident response plan to quickly isolate and remediate affected systems in case of exploitation. 8. Engage with Fortinet support and subscribe to security advisories to receive timely updates and patches. 9. Consider deploying endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect post-exploitation activities. 10. Educate security teams about this vulnerability and the indicators of compromise related to SQL injection and RCE attempts.