Cloud NGFW: NULL Pointer Dereference
CVE-2024-9472 is a high-severity NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in Cloud NGFW from Palo Alto Networks, with a CVSS 4.0 base score of 8.7 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.43% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update PAN-OS to 11.2.2-h3 or 11.1.2-h14 or 10.2.7-h16, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- 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 | 11.2.2 up to, but not including, 11.2.2-h3; 11.1.2-h9 up to, but not including, 11.1.2-h14; 10.2.7-h12 up to, but not including, 10.2.7-h16 | 11.2.2-h3, 11.1.2-h14, 10.2.7-h16 |
| 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.
- Attack requirements
- NoneThe attack does not depend on a particular deployment or configuration.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Confidentiality (vulnerable system)
- NoneNo loss of confidentiality on the vulnerable system.
- Integrity (vulnerable system)
- NoneNo loss of integrity on the vulnerable system.
- Availability (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of availability on the vulnerable system.
- Confidentiality (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of confidentiality on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
- Integrity (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of integrity on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
- Availability (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of availability on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:N/R:U/V:C/RE:M/U:Amber. Scored by CNA (paloaltonetworks.com).
Official description
A null pointer dereference in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS software on PA-800 Series, PA-3200 Series, PA-5200 Series, and PA-7000 Series hardware platforms when Decryption policy is enabled allows an unauthenticated attacker to crash PAN-OS by sending specific traffic through the data plane, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. Repeated attempts to trigger this condition will result in PAN-OS entering maintenance mode. Palo Alto Networks VM-Series, Cloud NGFW, and Prisma Access are not affected. This issue only affects PA-800 Series, PA-3200 Series, PA-5200 Series, and PA-7000 Series running these specific versions of PAN-OS: * 10.2.7-h12 * 10.2.8-h10 * 10.2.9-h9 * 10.2.9-h11 * 10.2.10-h2 * 10.2.10-h3 * 10.2.11 * 10.2.11-h1 * 10.2.11-h2 * 10.2.11-h3 * 11.1.2-h9 * 11.1.2-h12 * 11.1.3-h2 * 11.1.3-h4 * 11.1.3-h6 * 11.2.2 * 11.2.2-h1
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: NULL Pointer Dereference
The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- For any pointers that could have been modified or provided from a function that can return NULL, check the pointer for NULL before use. When working with a multithreaded or otherwise asynchronous environment, ensure that proper locking APIs are used to lock before the check, and unlock when it has finished.
- Select a programming language that is not susceptible to these issues.
- Check the results of all functions that return a value and verify that the value is non-null before acting upon it.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other references
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 NULL Pointer Dereference vulnerabilities
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
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