CVE-2017-15941 in PAN-OS
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS before 6.1.19, 7.0.x before 7.0.19, 7.1.x before 7.1.14, and 8.0.x before 8.0.7, when the GlobalProtect gateway or portal is configured, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/29/2021
The CVE-2017-15941 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS versions prior to specific security patches. This vulnerability specifically impacts deployments utilizing GlobalProtect gateway or portal configurations, creating a significant attack surface for remote threat actors seeking to execute malicious web scripts or HTML content within user sessions. The vulnerability exists across multiple PAN-OS version branches including 6.1.18 and earlier, 7.0.18 and earlier, 7.1.13 and earlier, and 8.0.6 and earlier versions, indicating a widespread exposure affecting the platform's core web interface functionality.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the GlobalProtect portal and gateway components of PAN-OS. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that bypass the system's sanitization mechanisms, allowing arbitrary script execution within the context of authenticated user sessions. The unspecified vectors suggest that the vulnerability may be triggered through multiple entry points including but not limited to form fields, URL parameters, or HTTP headers that are processed by the GlobalProtect web interface. This weakness directly maps to CWE-79 which classifies cross-site scripting as a fundamental web application security flaw where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages served to users.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-15941 extends beyond simple script injection, as it enables attackers to potentially hijack user sessions, steal authentication tokens, and execute unauthorized administrative actions within the affected PAN-OS environments. Given that GlobalProtect gateways and portals are commonly used for remote access and secure connectivity, successful exploitation could allow attackers to establish persistent access to corporate networks from external locations. The vulnerability creates an attack vector that aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol: DNS, where malicious scripts could be used to exfiltrate data or establish command and control channels. Organizations with extensive GlobalProtect deployments face significant risk as this vulnerability could be leveraged for advanced persistent threat campaigns targeting network infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-15941 require immediate implementation of the vendor-provided security patches for PAN-OS versions 6.1.19, 7.0.19, 7.1.14, and 8.0.7 respectively. Network administrators should prioritize patching across all affected PAN-OS versions while implementing additional defensive measures including web application firewalls, input validation rules, and enhanced monitoring of web traffic patterns for suspicious script injection attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security configurations and implementing defense-in-depth strategies. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any other potentially affected components within their PAN-OS deployments, as the flaw may have enabled additional attack vectors beyond the initial XSS exploitation. Security teams must establish continuous monitoring procedures to detect anomalous behavior in GlobalProtect portal access logs and user session activities that could indicate exploitation attempts.