CVE-2018-9335 in PAN-OS
Summary
by MITRE
The PAN-OS session browser in PAN-OS 6.1.20 and earlier, PAN-OS 7.1.16 and earlier, PAN-OS 8.0.9 and earlier, and PAN-OS 8.1.1 and earlier may allow an attacker to inject arbitrary JavaScript or HTML.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/03/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-9335 affects Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS session browser functionality across multiple versions including 6.1.20 and earlier, 7.1.16 and earlier, 8.0.9 and earlier, and 8.1.1 and earlier. This represents a critical cross-site scripting vulnerability that compromises the security integrity of the firewall management interface. The session browser component serves as a user-facing interface for monitoring active network sessions and connections, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to exploit administrative access points. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the session browser's handling of user-supplied data, creating an avenue for malicious code injection.
The technical flaw manifests when the session browser processes user input without proper sanitization or encoding mechanisms. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting malicious payloads containing JavaScript or HTML code that gets executed within the context of the administrator's browser session. This type of vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79 which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is processed and rendered without proper validation or encoding. The attack vector typically involves an attacker who has gained access to the network or has some form of legitimate access to the system, then leverages this vulnerability to inject malicious scripts that can execute in the context of the victim's browser session. This creates a persistent threat that can be used to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized administrative actions, or redirect users to malicious sites.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-9335 extends beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with a potential foothold for more sophisticated attacks within the network infrastructure. When an attacker successfully injects malicious code into the session browser, they can potentially escalate privileges, access sensitive network information, or manipulate firewall rules through the administrative interface. The vulnerability affects the core management capabilities of PAN-OS, undermining the fundamental security posture of organizations relying on these firewalls. This weakness creates a significant risk for enterprise environments where firewall administrators regularly use the session browser for monitoring network traffic, as any compromised session could provide attackers with elevated privileges and access to critical network resources. The attack can be executed through various means including phishing, social engineering, or by exploiting other initial access vectors within the network perimeter.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches provided by Palo Alto Networks to address this vulnerability. The recommended approach involves upgrading to PAN-OS versions that have been patched to properly sanitize input data and implement proper output encoding for the session browser component. Network administrators should also consider implementing additional monitoring and detection measures to identify potential exploitation attempts, including logging and alerting on unusual session browser activities. Security teams must review and update their incident response procedures to account for this type of vulnerability, ensuring that administrators are trained to recognize potential signs of exploitation. The mitigation strategy should also include network segmentation and access control measures to limit the potential impact if an attacker does successfully exploit this vulnerability, as well as regular security assessments to identify similar weaknesses in other components of the network infrastructure. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for JavaScript and T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, highlighting the need for comprehensive security controls across multiple attack phases.