PAN-OS OpenConfig Plugin: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command
CVE-2025-0110 is a high-severity improper neutralization of special elements used in an OS command vulnerability in PAN-OS OpenConfig Plugin from Palo Alto Networks, with a CVSS 4.0 base score of 8.6 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with administrator privileges, without any action from a user. The record lists version 2.1.2 as the first without the flaw, so updating PAN-OS OpenConfig Plugin to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 1.27% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 70% of scored CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update PAN-OS OpenConfig Plugin to 2.1.2 or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto Networks | PAN-OS OpenConfig Plugin | 1.0.0 up to, but not including, 2.1.2 | 2.1.2 |
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
- HighAdministrator-level access is required first.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Confidentiality (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of confidentiality on the vulnerable system.
- Integrity (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious 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:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/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 command injection vulnerability in the Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS OpenConfig plugin enables an authenticated administrator with the ability to make gNMI requests to the PAN-OS management web interface to bypass system restrictions and run arbitrary commands. The commands are run as the “__openconfig” user (which has the Device Administrator role) on the firewall. You can greatly reduce the risk of this issue by restricting access to the management web interface to only trusted internal IP addresses according to our recommended best practices deployment guidelines https://live.paloaltonetworks.com/t5/community-blogs/tips-amp-tricks-how-to-secure-the-management-access-of-your-palo/ba-p/464431 .
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command
The product constructs all or part of an OS command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended OS command before it is sent to a downstream component.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- If at all possible, use library calls rather than external processes to recreate the desired functionality.
- For any data that will be used to generate a command to be executed, keep as much of that data out of external control as possible. For example, in web applications, this may require storing the data locally in the session's state instead of sending it out to the client in a hidden form field.
- For any security checks that are performed on the client side, ensure that these checks are duplicated on the server side, in order to avoid CWE-602. Attackers can bypass the client-side checks by modifying values after the checks have been performed, or by changing the client to remove the client-side checks entirely. Then, these modified values would be submitted to the server.
More Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command vulnerabilities (CWE-78)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other references
Recent Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command vulnerabilities
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.2 High severity
- 7.2 High severity
- 7.2 High severity
- 7.2 High severity
- 8.3 High severity
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