CVE-2023-6795 in PAN-OS
Summary
by MITRE • 12/13/2023
An OS command injection vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS software enables an authenticated administrator to disrupt system processes and potentially execute arbitrary code with limited privileges on the firewall.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/10/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-6795 represents a critical operating system command injection flaw within Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS software that poses significant risks to network security infrastructure. This vulnerability specifically affects authenticated administrators who can leverage the flaw to manipulate system processes and potentially execute arbitrary code on affected firewalls. The issue stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the PAN-OS software architecture, creating an avenue for malicious exploitation by individuals with administrative privileges.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the improper handling of user-supplied input within administrative functions of the PAN-OS platform. When authenticated administrators interact with certain administrative interfaces or APIs, the system fails to adequately sanitize or validate input parameters before incorporating them into operating system commands. This allows an attacker with administrative access to inject malicious commands that are then executed by the underlying operating system with the privileges of the administrative account. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of command injection and privilege escalation, as it leverages existing administrative access to amplify the impact of the underlying flaw.
From an operational perspective, the impact of CVE-2023-6795 extends beyond simple disruption of system processes to potentially enable full compromise of the firewall infrastructure. While the vulnerability requires authentication to exploit, the potential for code execution with limited privileges creates opportunities for attackers to establish persistent access, escalate privileges through additional attack vectors, or use the compromised firewall as a launch point for broader network infiltration. The affected PAN-OS versions likely include multiple releases across different product lines, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations with diverse firewall deployments. The attack surface is further expanded by the fact that administrators often require elevated privileges for routine maintenance tasks, increasing the likelihood of exploitation.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches provided by Palo Alto Networks, which address the root cause of the command injection vulnerability through proper input validation and sanitization. Network segmentation and privilege minimization strategies should be enforced to limit the potential impact of any successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-88 categories related to command injection and improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands, and maps to ATT&CK techniques including privilege escalation and command and control operations. Regular security audits and monitoring of administrative access logs should be implemented to detect anomalous activities that may indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as web application firewalls and privilege management solutions to provide defense in depth against similar vulnerabilities. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of patches in non-production environments before deployment to ensure operational stability while maintaining security posture against this and related threats.