CVE-2021-3050 in PAN-OS
Summary
by MITRE • 08/12/2021
An OS command injection vulnerability in the Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS web interface enables an authenticated administrator to execute arbitrary OS commands to escalate privileges. This issue impacts: PAN-OS 9.0 version 9.0.10 through PAN-OS 9.0.14; PAN-OS 9.1 version 9.1.4 through PAN-OS 9.1.10; PAN-OS 10.0 version 10.0.7 and earlier PAN-OS 10.0 versions; PAN-OS 10.1 version 10.1.0 through PAN-OS 10.1.1. Prisma Access firewalls and firewalls running PAN-OS 8.1 versions are not impacted by this issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/16/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-3050 represents a critical operating system command injection flaw within the Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS web interface that fundamentally undermines the security posture of affected firewalls. This vulnerability exists in the authentication and authorization mechanisms of the web administration interface, allowing an attacker who has already gained administrative privileges to escalate their access and execute arbitrary operating system commands directly on the firewall device. The flaw specifically affects multiple versions of PAN-OS across the 9.0, 9.1, and 10.0/10.1 release lines, creating a substantial attack surface that could enable full system compromise. The vulnerability operates through improper input validation within the web interface components that handle administrative commands, creating a direct path for command injection attacks that bypass normal security controls. This issue falls under CWE-77 which specifically addresses command injection vulnerabilities, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and script interpreter execution, representing a significant escalation from initial administrative access to complete system control.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input within the web interface's administrative functions. When authenticated administrators interact with certain administrative features, the system fails to properly validate or escape command parameters that are subsequently passed to underlying operating system commands. This allows an attacker to inject malicious commands that are then executed with the privileges of the administrative user account, which typically operates with elevated system permissions. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only administrative authentication to exploit, meaning that an attacker who has already compromised administrative credentials can leverage this flaw to gain complete system control without requiring additional attack vectors or privilege escalation techniques. The impact extends beyond simple command execution to include potential data exfiltration, system modification, and complete compromise of the firewall's security functions, which could allow attackers to bypass network security controls and establish persistent access to protected networks.
The operational impact of CVE-2021-3050 is severe and multifaceted, as it enables attackers to achieve complete system compromise of affected Palo Alto Networks firewalls. Once exploited, the vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code with root privileges, potentially enabling them to install backdoors, modify firewall rules, disable security features, or exfiltrate sensitive data from the network. The affected PAN-OS versions span multiple major releases, creating widespread exposure across enterprise networks that rely on Palo Alto firewalls for security protection. Organizations utilizing Prisma Access firewalls and PAN-OS 8.1 versions remain unaffected by this specific vulnerability, but the broader implications suggest that similar command injection flaws could exist in other components of the PAN-OS platform. The vulnerability's exploitation capability directly violates the principle of least privilege and undermines the fundamental security model of the firewall, potentially allowing attackers to modify network security policies, create unauthorized access points, or disable logging mechanisms that would normally detect compromise. This represents a critical failure in the security architecture that could enable attackers to establish persistent access to enterprise networks while evading detection through compromised firewall logging and monitoring capabilities.
Organizations affected by CVE-2021-3050 must implement immediate remediation measures to address the vulnerability and protect their network infrastructure. The primary mitigation strategy involves applying the vendor-provided security updates and patches that specifically address the command injection flaw in the affected PAN-OS versions. Administrators should also implement network segmentation and monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts, including monitoring for unusual command execution patterns and unauthorized administrative access. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all affected devices and ensure that patches are applied across all impacted PAN-OS versions. Additional protective measures include implementing strict administrative access controls, monitoring administrative user activities, and ensuring that only authorized personnel have administrative privileges. Organizations should also consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts and establish incident response procedures that account for potential compromise of firewall systems. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies that reduce the attack surface and limit the potential impact of such critical vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments and continuous monitoring of administrative interfaces are essential to prevent exploitation of similar command injection vulnerabilities that could arise from insufficient input validation in web-based administrative systems.