Is CVE-2021-44168 being actively exploited?

Yes. CVE-2021-44168 is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on December 10, 2021.

What is the CVSS score for CVE-2021-44168?

CVE-2021-44168 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 3.3 (LOW).

CVE-2021-44168

LOW · CVSS 3.3CISA KEV: actively exploitedEPSS 0.9%EU EUVD: exploited

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.

Key facts

CVSS score: 3.3 (v3.1)
Severity: LOW
CVSS vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
Weakness (CWE): CWE-494
EPSS score: 0.9% (58th percentile)
In CISA KEV: Yes, added December 10, 2021
In EU EUVD: Yes (EUVD-2021-31018)
Published: January 4, 2022
NVD last modified: June 17, 2026
Status: Analyzed

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerability

Fortinet FortiOS Arbitrary File Download

Added to the KEV catalog on December 10, 2021; federal remediation due December 24, 2021.

EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD)

This vulnerability is also tracked by ENISA as EUVD-2021-31018 in the EU Vulnerability Database. ENISA flags it as known exploited. Last updated in EUVD on October 21, 2025.

View on the EU Vulnerability Database

Affected products

fortinet / fortios

Certified products that may be affected

5 FIPS 140 or Common Criteria certified products, from automated matching by sec-certs.org.

FortiGate/FortiOS Version 6.2.7 - Fortinet, Inc. - Common Criteria 559-LSS - archived
FortiOS 5.6 - Fortinet, Inc. - FIPS 140 3639 - historical
FortiOS 5.2 - Fortinet, Inc. - FIPS 140 2765 - historical
FortiOS™ - Fortinet, Inc. - FIPS 140 1754 - historical
FortiOS - Fortinet, Inc. - FIPS 140 1431 - historical

References

https://fortiguard.com/psirt/FG-IR-21-201(Vendor Advisory)
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-44168(US Government Resource)

Last updated September 17, 2026 · Source: NVD, CISA KEV, FIRST.org EPSS

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