Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS Malicious DNS Packet
CVE-2024-3393 is a high-severity improper check for unusual or exceptional conditions vulnerability in Cloud NGFW from Palo Alto Networks, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on December 30, 2024, which means attacks have been observed in the wild.
Attackers are already exploiting this vulnerability, according to CISA.
What to do
- Update PAN-OS to 11.2.3 or 11.1.2-h16 or 10.2.8-h19 or 10.1.14-h8, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- CISA's required action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
- Read the advisory on security.paloaltonetworks.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto Networks | Cloud NGFW | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Palo Alto Networks | PAN-OS | 11.2.0 up to, but not including, 11.2.3; 11.1.0 up to, but not including, 11.1.2-h16; 10.2.8 up to, but not including, 10.2.8-h19; 10.1.14 up to, but not including, 10.1.14-h8 | 11.2.3, 11.1.2-h16, 10.2.8-h19, 10.1.14-h8 |
| Palo Alto Networks | Prisma Access | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- NoneNo data is disclosed.
- Integrity
- NoneNothing can be modified.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 4.0 | 8.7 | High | CNA (paloaltonetworks.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.5 | High | NVD |
Official description
A Denial of Service vulnerability in the DNS Security feature of Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS software allows an unauthenticated attacker to send a malicious packet through the data plane of the firewall that reboots the firewall. Repeated attempts to trigger this condition will cause the firewall to enter maintenance mode.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions
The product does not check or incorrectly checks for unusual or exceptional conditions that are not expected to occur frequently during day to day operation of the product.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Use a language that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. Choose languages with features such as exception handling that force the programmer to anticipate unusual conditions that may generate exceptions. Custom exceptions may need to be developed to handle unusual business-logic conditions. Be careful not to pass sensitive exceptions back to the user (CWE-209, CWE-248).
- Check the results of all functions that return a value and verify that the value is expected.
- If using exception handling, catch and throw specific exceptions instead of overly-general exceptions (CWE-396, CWE-397). Catch and handle exceptions as locally as possible so that exceptions do not propagate too far up the call stack (CWE-705). Avoid unchecked or uncaught exceptions where feasible (CWE-248).
More Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions vulnerabilities (CWE-754)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- Added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: active, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
- Deadline for US federal agencies to remediate, set by CISA.
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Third-party and government advisories
- cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2024-3393US Government Resource
Other vulnerabilities in Cloud NGFW
- 7.2 High severity
Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS Code Injection Exploited
- 7.2 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.2 High severity
- 9.9 Critical severity
Recent Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions vulnerabilities
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.3 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
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