Overview
We live in an era where cybersecurity threats are constantly evolving, with attackers exploiting new vulnerabilities every day. Among the threats that have sent shockwaves in the information security world in 2025 is an SQL injection vulnerability in Fortinet FortiWeb, identified as CVE-2025-25257. This vulnerability affects a wide range of FortiWeb versions, including 7.6.0 through 7.6.3, 7.4.0 through 7.4.7, 7.2.0 through 7.2.10, and all versions below 7.0.10. With a CVSS Severity Score of 9.8, this vulnerability is considered critical and poses a serious risk to businesses using the affected products. If exploited, it could lead to system compromise or data leakage.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-25257
Severity: Critical (9.8)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: System compromise and potential data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
Fortinet FortiWeb | 7.6.0 through 7.6.3
Fortinet FortiWeb | 7.4.0 through 7.4.7
Fortinet FortiWeb | 7.2.0 through 7.2.10
Fortinet FortiWeb | Below 7.0.10
How the Exploit Works
SQL Injection is a type of attack that manipulates SQL queries by inserting malicious inputs. This vulnerability in Fortinet FortiWeb allows an attacker to execute unauthorized SQL commands by crafting malicious HTTP or HTTPS requests. Since the system does not correctly neutralize special elements used in an SQL command, the attacker can manipulate the logic of SQL statements executed by the database.
Conceptual Example Code
Below is a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited. Remember, it is a hypothetical illustration, not a real exploit code:
POST /vulnerable/endpoint HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.com
Content-Type: application/json
{
"user": "admin'; DROP TABLE users; --"
}In this example, the attacker injects a payload that would delete the entire users table if executed by the database. The actual exploit would likely be more complex and specifically tailored to the target system.
Mitigation Guidance
Users of affected Fortinet FortiWeb versions are advised to apply the vendor patch as soon as possible. In the meantime, a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can serve as temporary mitigation against potential attacks. However, given the severity of this vulnerability, relying solely on these defensive measures is not recommended. Always make sure to keep your systems up-to-date with the latest patches and security updates.