CVE-2022-1040 Sophos Firewall Authentication Bypass Vulnerability
An authentication bypass vulnerability in User Portal and Webadmin of Sophos Firewall allows for remote code execution.
From the CISA KEV catalogue version 2026.11.06, with Cybergen analysis. Updated 6 Nov 2026.
Should You Worry?
- CISA confirmed exploitation in the wild and added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on 31 Mar 2022.
- Rated Critical severity (CVSS 9.8, scored by Vendor).
- This product type is often exposed to the internet, which is where attackers scan for it first.
- It has been in the catalogue for 1,681 days. Systems still unpatched now have almost certainly been scanned for it.
What It Is
An authentication bypass vulnerability in the User Portal and Webadmin allows a remote attacker to execute code in Sophos Firewall version v18.5 MR3 and older.
Affected Versions
| Product | Versions |
|---|---|
| Sophos Sophos Firewall | unspecified to 18.5 MR3 |
From the public CVE record, as supplied by the vendor. Always confirm against the vendor advisory.
What To Do Now
- 1
Find it
Search your asset inventory and external attack surface for Sophos Firewall. Include cloud images, appliances and anything a supplier runs for you.
Attack Surface Management - 2
- 3
Hunt for compromise
If an affected system was reachable before you patched, assume it may have been hit. Check logs, new accounts, web shells and outbound connections from the date of exposure.
Incident Response - 4
Prove it is fixed
Rescan or test the system after patching. Upgrades that fail silently and forgotten secondary instances are common.
Penetration Testing
Vendor Advisories
The Compliance Clock
General guidance, not legal advice. Your obligations depend on your sector, scope and jurisdiction.
Not Sure If You Are Exposed?
Our attack surface and vulnerability teams can check your internet-facing estate for CVE-2022-1040 and every other exploited flaw on the list.