CVE Alert: CVE-2022-40799 – n/a – n/a

Risk verdict

Critical risk with active exploitation signals; treat as priority 1 due to KEV listing and active SSVC status.

Why this matters

Authenticated attackers can execute OS-level commands through the backup configuration path, risking data integrity, confidentiality and device availability. Compromise could enable backup manipulation, data exfiltration, or lateral movement within adjacent devices, undermining incident response and reduce trust in backups.

Most likely attack path

Exploitation requires network access and valid credentials (low privileges), with no user interaction. An attacker could trigger code execution via the backup configuration interface, gaining full device control. Because the scope is unchanged, movement is likely contained to the device unless broader network trust exists.

Who is most exposed

Devices with exposed management interfaces or backup configuration features reachable from untrusted networks are most at risk, a common pattern in environments with remote admin ports or insufficient network segmentation.

Detection ideas

• Logs showing OS-level command execution originating from the backup config endpoint.
• Unscheduled or undeclared changes to backup configurations or backups themselves.
• Authentication attempts or access from unusual or external IPs targeting management interfaces.
• Privileged shell activity or sudden spikes in privileged commands on the device.

Mitigation and prioritisation

• Apply the vendor firmware/patch to remediate the vulnerability; schedule during a maintenance window and verify success.
• If patching isn’t feasible, restrict network access to the management/backup interfaces (ACLs, VPN-only access); disable or tightly control remote backup configuration functionality.
• Enforce strong authentication and rotate credentials; enable MFA if supported.
• Enhance monitoring: enable detailed logging, feed to SIEM, and alert on config changes and privileged commands.
• Regularly verify backup integrity and perform restores in a test environment.
• Treat as priority 1 due to KEV presence.