CVE-2024-13974
Published: 21 July 2025
Summary
CVE-2024-13974 is a high-severity Reliance on Untrusted Inputs in a Security Decision (CWE-807) vulnerability in Sophos Firewall Firmware. Its CVSS base score is 8.1 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked in the top 20.0% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 RA-5 (Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation).
Deeper analysis
CVE-2024-13974 is a business logic vulnerability (CWE-807) in the Up2Date component of Sophos Firewall versions older than 21.0 MR1 (v20.0.1). This flaw allows attackers to manipulate the firewall's DNS environment, potentially leading to remote code execution (RCE). The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.1 (AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating high severity due to its network accessibility and significant impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Remote attackers without privileges can exploit this vulnerability over the network, though it requires high attack complexity and no user interaction. Successful exploitation enables control over the firewall's DNS settings, culminating in arbitrary code execution on the affected device, which could compromise the entire firewall and connected networks.
The Sophos security advisory (https://www.sophos.com/en-us/security-advisories/sophos-sa-20250721-sfos-rce) recommends updating to Sophos Firewall version 21.0 MR1 (v20.0.1) or later to mitigate the issue, as this release addresses the business logic flaw in the Up2Date component.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2024-54805
Vulnerability details
A business logic vulnerability in the Up2Date component of Sophos Firewall older than version 21.0 MR1 (20.0.1) can lead to attackers controlling the firewall’s DNS environment to achieve remote code execution.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Direct remote exploitation of a public-facing firewall component (Up2Date) enabling arbitrary code execution over the network.
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Directly remediates the business logic vulnerability in the Sophos Firewall Up2Date component by requiring timely patching to version 21.0 MR1 or later as recommended by the vendor advisory.
Enables proactive identification of Sophos Firewall instances vulnerable to CVE-2024-13974 through continuous vulnerability scanning, facilitating patch deployment before exploitation.
Mitigates the business logic flaw (CWE-807) by validating inputs to the Up2Date component, preventing attackers from manipulating the firewall's DNS environment.