CVE-2026-0331 in Cloud NGFW
Summary
by MITRE • 11/11/2026
An information disclosure vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS® software enables an unauthenticated remote attacker with network access to obtain sensitive firewall and session information by sending traffic to or through a dataplane interface.
Panorama is not affected by this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/11/2026
The identified security flaw represents a critical information disclosure vulnerability within the Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS operating system, specifically targeting devices configured with active dataplane interfaces. This weakness allows an unauthenticated remote attacker who possesses network connectivity to the vulnerable interface to extract sensitive operational data from the firewall. The nature of this exposure includes detailed insights into the device's configuration and current session states, which can serve as a significant reconnaissance vector for further exploitation attempts against the protected network infrastructure.
From a technical perspective, the vulnerability stems from improper handling or insufficient access controls on specific dataplane interfaces within the PAN-OS software stack. When an attacker sends crafted traffic to these interfaces, the system inadvertently processes requests that reveal internal state information without requiring valid authentication credentials. This lack of proper input validation and authorization checks enables the leakage of data that should remain restricted to authenticated administrators or isolated management planes. The exposure is particularly concerning because it does not require prior compromise of user accounts or exploitation of additional logic flaws; mere network reachability to the affected interface is sufficient for an attacker to initiate information gathering activities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data leakage, as the disclosed session and firewall information can significantly aid adversaries in planning more sophisticated attacks. Knowledge of active sessions allows attackers to identify high-value targets, understand traffic patterns, and potentially infer network topology or security policies. This intelligence facilitates targeted phishing campaigns, lateral movement within the internal network, or precise exploitation of other known vulnerabilities by providing context about running services and open ports. The ability to view session details may also assist in bypassing certain security controls that rely on stateful inspection if the attacker can predict or manipulate expected traffic flows based on leaked data.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which categorizes information exposure as a class of weaknesses where sensitive information is disclosed without proper authorization. In terms of offensive cyber operations mapping, this flaw corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1592, Gather Victim Host Information, specifically sub-techniques related to network service discovery and configuration data collection. The unauthenticated nature of the exploit places it in a high-risk category for internet-facing devices or any environment where internal segments are not strictly segmented from potential threat actors.
Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate isolation of affected interfaces if possible, ensuring that dataplane ports exposed to untrusted networks do not process such requests. Palo Alto Networks has released software updates addressing this issue, and administrators should apply the latest PAN-OS patches promptly. Additionally, network segmentation policies should be reviewed to ensure that management and critical data plane functions are restricted to authorized IP ranges only. Implementing strict access control lists on firewall interfaces can prevent unauthorized entities from reaching the vulnerable endpoints. Regular auditing of interface configurations and monitoring for anomalous traffic patterns targeting these services will further reduce the risk profile associated with this disclosure vulnerability.