---
id: "CVE-2025-9242"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2025-9242"]
title: "An Out-of-bounds Write vulnerability in the WatchGuard Fireware OS iked process may allow a remote unauthenticated\u2026"
severity: "critical"
cvss: 9.8
epss: null
exploited: true
status: "open"
category: "infrastructure"
products: [{"name": "WatchGuard Firebox", "fixed": [], "affected": "", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "watchguard fireware", "fixed": ["12.11.4"], "affected": ">= 11.10.2, < 12.11.4", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "watchguard fireware", "fixed": ["12.5.13"], "affected": ">= 11.10.2, < 12.5.13", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "watchguard fireware", "fixed": [], "affected": "= 2025.1", "ecosystem": "vendor"}]
ecosystems: ["vendor"]
tags: ["exploited", "firebox", "firewall", "infrastructure", "vpn", "watchguard"]
not_affected_if: ["no-firebox-devices"]
published_at: "2025-09-17T08:15:33+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T19:11:51+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-23T23:44:51+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "kev", "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2025-9242", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:11:51+00:00"}, {"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-9242", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T23:44:51+00:00"}]
---

# An Out-of-bounds Write vulnerability in the WatchGuard Fireware OS iked process may allow a remote unauthenticated…

WatchGuard Firebox firewalls have an out-of-bounds write in the iked process that handles IKE VPN negotiation. A remote unauthenticated attacker can run arbitrary code on the device, and CISA reports it is being exploited in the wild.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## Affected

- vendor:WatchGuard Firebox affected ? fixed ?
- vendor:watchguard fireware affected >= 11.10.2, < 12.11.4 fixed 12.11.4
- vendor:watchguard fireware affected >= 11.10.2, < 12.5.13 fixed 12.5.13
- vendor:watchguard fireware affected = 2025.1 fixed ?

## Fix

Apply the vendor mitigations per WatchGuard's advisory; the sources do not name a fixed version. If mitigations are unavailable, CISA says to discontinue use of the product.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T19:11:51+00:00 kev https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2025-9242
- 2026-10-23T23:44:51+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-9242

## From the sources

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.

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_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_