CVE-2020-1988 GlobalProtect App: Local privilege escalation due to an unquoted search path vulnerability

Palo Alto Networks Security Advisories / CVE-2020-1988

CVE-2020-1988 GlobalProtect App: Local privilege escalation due to an unquoted search path vulnerability

Severity 4.2 · MEDIUM

Attack Vector LOCAL

Attack Complexity LOW

Privileges Required HIGH

User Interaction NONE

Scope UNCHANGED

Confidentiality Impact LOW

Integrity Impact LOW

Availability Impact LOW

NVD JSON

Published 2020-04-08

Updated 2020-04-27

Reference GPC-9320

Discovered externally

Description

An unquoted search path vulnerability in the Windows release of GlobalProtect App allows an authenticated local user with file creation privileges on the root of the OS disk (C:\) or to Program Files directory to gain system privileges.

This issue affects Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect App 5.0 versions before 5.0.5; 4.1 versions before 4.1.13 on Windows;

Product Status

Versions	Affected	Unaffected
GlobalProtect App 5.0	< 5.0.5 on Windows	>= 5.0.5 on Windows
GlobalProtect App 4.1	< 4.1.13 on Windows	>= 4.1.13 on Windows

Required Configuration for Exposure

This issue only affects Windows systems where local users are configured with file creation privileges to the root of the OS disk (C:\) or 'Program Files' directory.

Severity: MEDIUM

CVSSv3.1 Base Score: 4.2 (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L)

Weakness Type

CWE-428 Unquoted Search Path or Element

Solution

This issue is fixed in GlobalProtect App 5.0.5, GlobalProtect App 4.1.13 and all later versions.

Workarounds and Mitigations

Do not grant file creation privileges on the root of the OS disk (C:\) or 'Program Files' directory to unprivileged users.

Acknowledgments

Palo Alto Networks thanks Ratnesh Pandey of Bromium and Matthew Batten for discovering and reporting this issue.

Timeline

2020-04-08 Initial publication