CVE-2025-9242: WatchGuard Firebox Out-of-Bounds Write Vulnerability
Advisory generated from the CVE record, CISA, Exploit Observer and VEDAS: what it is, whether it is exploited, who is affected, and how to fix and detect it.
Generated by VEDAS. Scores as of 2026-11-01 19:19 UTC. Rebuilt every few hours from cve-scores, CISA KEV and vedas-signatures. How this works and its limits.
What it is
An Out-of-bounds Write vulnerability in the WatchGuard Fireware OS iked process may allow a remote unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code. This vulnerability affects both the mobile user VPN with IKEv2 and the branch office VPN using IKEv2 when configured with a dynamic gateway peer. If the Firebox was previously configured with the mobile user VPN with IKEv2 or a branch office VPN using IKEv2 to a dynamic gateway peer, and both of those configurations have since been deleted, that Firebox may still be vulnerable if a branch office VPN to a static gateway peer is still configured.
Description quoted from the CVE record (assigned by WatchGuard, published 2025-09-17).
Weakness: CWE-787
How it can be exploited
Exploitable over the network with low attack complexity with no special attack requirements needing no privileges and no user interaction. Impact: confidentiality high, integrity high, availability high. CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
CISA assessment (SSVC): CISA assesses exploitation as active. Automatable: yes. Technical impact: total.
- On CISA KEV since
- 2025-11-12
- US federal deadline
- 2025-12-03
- Ransomware use
- Not known
Public exploit evidence (Exploit Observer)
Also known as: BDU:2025-11474, CNNVD-202509-2807, EUVD-2025-29699, GHSA-g6q4-chqv-724q
VEDAS cluster: VEDAS:DRAININGDRAKKAR
Exploit Observer links 7 pieces of public exploit code or detection modules that name this CVE or one of its aliases.
Exploit code and modules (7)
Code that names this CVE. A repository can be a working exploit, a scanner, a fake or malware; read it before running anything.
- Nuclei template: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/main/code/cves/2025/CVE-2025-9242.yaml
- Code repository: https://github.com/b1ack4sh/blackash-cve-2025-9242
- Code repository: https://github.com/pulsecipher/cve-2025-9242
- Code repository: https://github.com/unusualgiraffe/mass-scanner-cve-2025-9242
- Code repository: https://github.com/unusualgiraffe/poc-unauthenticated-rce-in-watchguard-fireware-12.7-build-640389-cve-2025-9242
- Code repository: https://github.com/unusualgiraffe/watchguard-cve-2025-9242-poc-and-mass-scanner
- Code repository: https://github.com/watchtowrlabs/watchtowr-vs-watchguard-cve-2025-9242
Research and write-ups (1)
- Research or write-up: https://labs.watchtowr.com/yikes-watchguard-fireware-os-ikev2-out-of-bounds-write-cve-2025-9242
Vulnerability databases and vendor advisories (7)
Catalogue entries, not exploit evidence.
- Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/enisa/EUVD-2025-29699
- Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-g6q4-chqv-724q
- Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-9242
- Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://psirt.watchguard.com/CVE-2025-9242
- Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2025-9242
- Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://www.cnnvd.org.cn/home/globalSearch?keyword=CNNVD-202509-2807
- Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://www.tenable.com/cve/CVE-2025-9242
32 more references returned by Exploit Observer did not name this CVE or an alias, so they are left out.
VEDAS data as of 2026-11-01T17:12 UTC; fetched 2026-11-02.
Live scores
- EPSS
- 0.922
very likely to be attacked soon - VEDAS
- 0.984
strong exploit evidence - On CISA KEV
- Yes, since 2025-11-12
- Detection rule
- None yet
Thin horizontal line: the “likely” (EPSS 0.10) or “strong” (VEDAS 0.90) threshold. Shaded “no data” areas are periods when cve-scores did not publish. The vertical line is the day CISA added it to its exploited list.
VEDAS flagged this bug about 10 days before CISA confirmed attacks.
Who is affected
| Product | Affected | Not affected |
|---|---|---|
| WatchGuard Fireware OS | from 11.0 up to and including 11.12.4+541730 from 12.0 before 12.11.4 from 2025.0 before 2025.1.1 | Not stated |
| WatchGuard Fireware OS | from 12.0 before 12.3.1+722811 | Not stated |
| WatchGuard Fireware OS | from 12.0 before 12.5.13 | Not stated |
Version ranges exactly as the CVE record states them. “Before X” means X is the first fixed version.
Exploit Observer also maps it to: watchguard fireware, watchguard_technologies_inc. fireware_os.
How to fix it
Fixed versions stated in the CVE record: 12.11.4, 2025.1.1, 12.3.1+722811, 12.5.13.
CISA required action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Vendor guidance:
- https://psirt.watchguard.com/CVE-2025-9242 (vendor-advisory)
- https://www.watchguard.com/wgrd-psirt/advisory/wgsa-2025-00015 (vendor-advisory)
How to detect it
There is no open VEDAS detection rule for this bug yet. It is listed on the detection gaps page if CISA has confirmed attacks.
References
Vendor advisories and patches
- https://psirt.watchguard.com/CVE-2025-9242 (vendor-advisory)
- https://www.watchguard.com/wgrd-psirt/advisory/wgsa-2025-00015 (vendor-advisory)
Exploits and technical analysis
Government sources
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2025-9242 (government-resource)
Other databases
Where this comes from
This advisory is generated automatically by VEDAS from: CVE.org record, CISA KEV, cve-scores (EPSS and VEDAS), Exploit Observer. Text in quotes is reproduced from the source; everything else is a fixed template filled with source fields. Nothing here is written by a language model. Check the vendor advisory before acting, and read how VEDAS and Exploit Observer work, and their limits.