CVE-2021-3045 in PAN-OS
Summary
by MITRE • 08/12/2021
An OS command argument injection vulnerability in the Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS web interface enables an authenticated administrator to read any arbitrary file from the file system. This issue impacts: PAN-OS 8.1 versions earlier than PAN-OS 8.1.19; PAN-OS 9.0 versions earlier than PAN-OS 9.0.14; PAN-OS 9.1 versions earlier than PAN-OS 9.1.10. PAN-OS 10.0 and later versions are not impacted.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/16/2021
This vulnerability represents a critical operating system command argument injection flaw within the Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS web interface that fundamentally undermines the security model of the firewall platform. The issue stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization of user-supplied parameters within the web administration interface, specifically affecting the file system access controls that should normally prevent unauthorized file operations. The vulnerability affects multiple major versions of PAN-OS including 8.1.x through 8.1.18, 9.0.x through 9.0.13, and 9.1.x through 9.1.9, creating a substantial attack surface across the firewall's administrative functionality. This flaw enables authenticated administrators to exploit command injection mechanisms that should be restricted to legitimate administrative operations, allowing arbitrary file system access through crafted web interface requests that bypass normal security boundaries.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through improper handling of command line arguments within the PAN-OS web interface components that process administrative requests. When an authenticated administrator performs certain operations through the web interface, the system fails to properly sanitize input parameters before incorporating them into system commands, creating opportunities for command injection attacks that can execute arbitrary system calls. This represents a classic command injection vulnerability that maps to CWE-77 in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog, specifically categorized as OS Command Injection where attacker-controlled data is concatenated or interpolated into system commands without proper validation or escaping. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires authentication, making it a privilege escalation issue that can be leveraged by authenticated users to gain unauthorized access to system resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple file access, as it provides a pathway for attackers who have obtained administrative credentials to extract sensitive configuration files, system logs, and potentially credentials stored within the firewall's file system. The affected versions represent a significant portion of the PAN-OS deployment landscape, creating widespread exposure across enterprise networks that rely on Palo Alto firewalls for security operations. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to read system files, configuration data, and potentially extract sensitive information that could be used for further exploitation, including credential theft, system reconnaissance, and privilege escalation within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe because it allows for arbitrary file system access, which could include sensitive operational data, encryption keys, or other confidential information that should remain protected within the firewall's secure operational environment.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigation strategies including applying the relevant PAN-OS patches and updates provided by Palo Alto Networks to address the command injection flaw. The recommended remediation involves upgrading to PAN-OS versions 8.1.19, 9.0.14, or 9.1.10 respectively, which contain the necessary code modifications to properly validate and sanitize input parameters before system command execution. Network administrators should also implement additional monitoring and logging of administrative activities within the web interface to detect anomalous file access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1059.003 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) and T1566 (Phishing) highlights the need for comprehensive security monitoring and incident response procedures that can detect both the exploitation of this vulnerability and the broader attack patterns that may accompany such compromises. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and access control measures can help limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts by reducing the attack surface available to authenticated users who might attempt to leverage this vulnerability for unauthorized file access.