CVE-2012-6597 in PAN-OS
Summary
by MITRE
Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS before 3.1.11 and 4.0.x before 4.0.9 allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (management-server crash) by using the command-line interface for a crafted command, aka Ref ID 35254.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/07/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-6597 represents a critical denial of service flaw affecting Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS versions prior to 3.1.11 and 4.0.x versions before 4.0.9. This vulnerability specifically targets the management server component of the firewall platform, which serves as the central control point for all device configuration and monitoring activities. The issue arises from insufficient input validation within the command-line interface subsystem, creating a pathway for authenticated attackers to exploit the system through carefully crafted commands that trigger unexpected behavior in the management server process.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of user-supplied input within the command-line interface parser. When an authenticated user submits a malformed command through the management interface, the system fails to properly validate or sanitize the input before processing it within the management server context. This lack of input validation creates a condition where maliciously constructed commands can cause the management server process to crash or become unresponsive, effectively rendering the device inaccessible for administrative operations. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires only authenticated access, meaning that any user with legitimate credentials can potentially exploit this flaw to disrupt service availability.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability directly violates the availability principle of the CIA triad and can be categorized under CWE-129 Input Validation. The consequences extend beyond simple service disruption as the management server crash prevents administrators from performing critical maintenance, monitoring, or configuration changes during the outage period. Network security teams face significant operational challenges when such vulnerabilities exist, as they must balance the need for immediate patching with the risk of system downtime during maintenance windows. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for Network Denial of Service, as it specifically targets the availability of network infrastructure management capabilities.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to possess valid authentication credentials, which limits the attack surface compared to unauthenticated exploits but still represents a significant risk to organizations with compromised accounts or insider threats. The impact of such an attack can cascade through network operations, as administrators lose access to critical device management functions and may need to perform manual recovery procedures that can extend service restoration times. Organizations implementing the ATT&CK framework would classify this vulnerability under the Privilege Escalation and Defense Evasion categories, as it can be used to maintain persistent access through service disruption and potentially mask other malicious activities. Mitigation strategies should include immediate deployment of the vendor-supplied patches, implementation of network monitoring for unusual command-line activity, and regular security assessments to identify similar input validation weaknesses in other system components.