CVE-2020-2038 : Security Advisory and Response

An OS Command Injection vulnerability in the PAN-OS management interface allows authenticated administrators to execute arbitrary OS commands with root privileges.

Understanding CVE-2020-2038

This CVE affects PAN-OS versions 9.0, 9.1, and 10.0, impacting the management web interface.

What is CVE-2020-2038?

It is an OS Command Injection vulnerability in the PAN-OS management interface.
Authenticated administrators can execute arbitrary OS commands with root privileges.

The Impact of CVE-2020-2038

CVSS Score: 7.2 (High Severity)
Attack Complexity: Low
Attack Vector: Network
Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability Impact: High
Privileges Required: High
No user interaction required

Technical Details of CVE-2020-2038

This section provides detailed technical information about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

Vulnerability Type: OS Command Injection (CWE-78)
Affected Versions: PAN-OS 9.0 < 9.0.10, PAN-OS 9.1 < 9.1.4, PAN-OS 10.0 < 10.0.1

Affected Systems and Versions

PAN-OS 9.0 versions earlier than 9.0.10
PAN-OS 9.1 versions earlier than 9.1.4
PAN-OS 10.0 versions earlier than 10.0.1

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability through the management web interface, executing unauthorized OS commands.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your systems from CVE-2020-2038 with the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update PAN-OS to versions 9.0.10, 9.1.4, 10.0.1, or later.
Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activity.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement strict access controls for administrative interfaces.
Regularly review and apply security best practices.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches provided by Palo Alto Networks to fix the vulnerability.