CVE-2020-2013 in PAN-OS
Summary
by MITRE
A cleartext transmission of sensitive information vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS Panorama that discloses an authenticated PAN-OS administrator's PAN-OS session cookie. When an administrator issues a context switch request into a managed firewall with an affected PAN-OS Panorama version, their PAN-OS session cookie is transmitted over cleartext to the firewall. An attacker with the ability to intercept this network traffic between the firewall and Panorama can access the administrator's account and further manipulate devices managed by Panorama. This issue affects: PAN-OS 7.1 versions earlier than 7.1.26; PAN-OS 8.0 versions earlier than 8.0.21; PAN-OS 8.1 versions earlier than 8.1.13; PAN-OS 9.0 versions earlier than 9.0.6; and PAN-OS 9.1 versions earlier than 9.1.1.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/17/2020
This vulnerability represents a critical cleartext transmission flaw in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS Panorama systems that directly compromises administrator session security. The issue manifests when administrators perform context switching operations to managed firewalls, creating an opportunity for network traffic interception that exposes sensitive authentication tokens. According to CWE-319, this vulnerability falls under cleartext transmission of sensitive information, where authentication credentials are transmitted without adequate encryption or protection mechanisms. The flaw specifically affects PAN-OS versions across multiple release streams, including 7.1.26, 8.0.21, 8.1.13, 9.0.6, and 9.1.1, indicating a widespread impact across the platform's lifecycle. The vulnerability operates at the network protocol level where session cookies containing administrative privileges are sent in plaintext format, making them immediately accessible to any network observer with interception capabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple credential exposure, as it provides attackers with direct administrative access to managed firewall devices through the Panorama management interface. This creates a significant attack surface that aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for Valid Accounts and T1566.002 for Phishing, as attackers can leverage stolen session cookies to maintain persistent access and escalate privileges within the network infrastructure. When an authenticated administrator initiates a context switch request, the session cookie travels unencrypted across the network, creating a window of opportunity for man-in-the-middle attacks. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires no special privileges to exploit beyond network interception capabilities, making it accessible to attackers with basic network monitoring tools. This exposure allows unauthorized parties to assume administrative roles and potentially manipulate firewall configurations, access logs, and security policies across all managed devices.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires minimal sophistication and can be accomplished through standard network monitoring tools such as tcpdump, Wireshark, or similar packet capture utilities. Attackers can capture the cleartext session cookie during legitimate administrative operations and subsequently use it to authenticate as the compromised administrator. This creates a persistent threat vector that remains active as long as the session cookie remains valid, potentially allowing attackers to maintain access even after initial compromise. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that Panorama serves as a central management point for multiple firewall devices, meaning a single compromised session cookie can provide access to an entire network security infrastructure. Organizations with insufficient network segmentation or monitoring capabilities face particularly high risk, as the cleartext transmission occurs over standard management protocols without additional authentication layers or encryption mechanisms. The vulnerability's classification as a network-level exposure aligns with security frameworks emphasizing the importance of encrypting all sensitive communications, particularly those involving privileged access tokens and administrative sessions.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including mandatory encryption for all management traffic, network segmentation to isolate Panorama and firewall communications, and regular monitoring for suspicious network activity. The most effective remediation involves upgrading to patched PAN-OS versions that enforce encrypted session transmission for all administrative operations. Network administrators should also implement additional security controls such as multi-factor authentication, privileged access management solutions, and continuous monitoring of management network traffic. According to industry best practices for secure network administration, all privileged sessions should be protected using TLS encryption, and network traffic should be inspected for anomalous patterns that might indicate credential interception attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of protecting all network communications, particularly those involving administrative functions, as outlined in security frameworks such as NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001 requirements for secure communication channels and access control. Organizations must also consider implementing network access controls and firewall rules to restrict direct administrative access to Panorama and managed devices, reducing the attack surface available to potential adversaries.