# Fortra Cobalt Strike: 2 exploited vulnerabilities (CVE-2022-39197, CVE-2022-42948) · pwn.watch

> Fortra Cobalt Strike contains a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Teamserver that would allow an attacker to set a malformed username in the Beacon configuration, allowing them to execute code remotely. Fortra Cobalt Strike User Interface contains an unspecified vulnerability rooted in Java Swing that may allow remote code execution. Added to CISA KEV on 2023-03-30.

Page: https://pwn.watch/i/fortra-cobalt-strike-cve-2022-39197-42948 · generated 2026-10-22T22:00:08.805Z

## Status
- Severity: critical · status: closed · patch: patched
- Product: Fortra Cobalt Strike
- Started: 2023-03-30 · closed: 2023-03-30
- CVEs: CVE-2022-39197, CVE-2022-42948
- Affected: See vendor advisory / CISA notes (versions not always listed in KEV feed)
- Fixed in: See vendor advisory linked in sources

## Follow this incident
- RSS (one item per update): https://pwn.watch/i/fortra-cobalt-strike-cve-2022-39197-42948/feed.xml
- JSON Feed: https://pwn.watch/i/fortra-cobalt-strike-cve-2022-39197-42948/feed.json
- Full data (timeline, sources, posts, agentBrief): https://pwn.watch/i/fortra-cobalt-strike-cve-2022-39197-42948.json
- This file: https://pwn.watch/i/fortra-cobalt-strike-cve-2022-39197-42948/llms.txt

## Updates (newest first)
- 2023-03-30: CISA added CVE-2022-39197 to the KEV catalog (due 2023-04-20).
- 2023-03-30: CISA added CVE-2022-42948 to the KEV catalog (due 2023-04-20).

## Fix brief
# Security brief: Fortra Cobalt Strike: 2 exploited vulnerabilities (CVE-2022-39197, CVE-2022-42948)

Source: https://pwn.watch/i/fortra-cobalt-strike-cve-2022-39197-42948 · status: closed (closed Mar 30, 2023) · severity: critical · updated Mar 30, 2023

## Patch status
**PATCHED: fixed releases exist. Upgrade to a fixed version.**

## What it is
Fortra Cobalt Strike contains a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Teamserver that would allow an attacker to set a malformed username in the Beacon configuration, allowing them to execute code remotely. Fortra Cobalt Strike User Interface contains an unspecified vulnerability rooted in Java Swing that may allow remote code execution. Added to CISA KEV on 2023-03-30.

Severity detail: CVSS 9.8 (NVD), actively exploited (CISA KEV)

- Product: Fortra Cobalt Strike
- CVE / advisory ids: CVE-2022-39197, CVE-2022-42948

## Affected versions
- See vendor advisory / CISA notes (versions not always listed in KEV feed)

## Check whether you're affected
No generic command applies (the product is a hosted service, appliance or desktop app). Check the installed version in its admin UI / About screen and compare with the versions above.

## Fix
Upgrade to one of these fixed versions (or later on the same branch):
- See vendor advisory linked in sources

After upgrading, re-run the checks above and redeploy/restart the affected services.

## Latest updates
- Mar 30, 2023: CISA added CVE-2022-39197 to the KEV catalog (due 2023-04-20).
- Mar 30, 2023: CISA added CVE-2022-42948 to the KEV catalog (due 2023-04-20).

## Advisories
- [Vendor advisory: Fortra Cobalt Strike](https://www.cobaltstrike.com/blog/out-of-band-update-cobalt-strike-4-7-1/) (Fortra)
- [NVD: CVE-2022-39197](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-39197) (NVD)
- [Vendor advisory: Fortra Cobalt Strike](https://www.cobaltstrike.com/blog/out-of-band-update-cobalt-strike-4-7-2/) (Fortra)
- [NVD: CVE-2022-42948](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-42948) (NVD)
- [CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog](https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog) (CISA)

## Caveats
Derived from CISA KEV JSON feed catalogVersion 2026.10.21. Exact affected/fixed version strings are not always in the KEV record — verify against the vendor advisory URL. startedAt uses dateAdded (exploitation may have begun earlier). Grouped: same vendor/product added to KEV on the same day.

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Machine-readable: https://pwn.watch/i/fortra-cobalt-strike-cve-2022-39197-42948.json · all incidents: https://pwn.watch/incidents.json. Verify against the vendor advisory before changing production systems.