CVE-2026-0261 PAN-OS: Authenticated Admin Command Injection Vulnerability
Description
Multiple command injection vulnerabilities in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS® software enable an authenticated administrator to bypass system restrictions and run arbitrary commands as a root user. To be able to exploit this issue, the user must have access to the PAN-OS CLI or Web UI.
The security risk posed by this issue is significantly minimized when CLI access is restricted to a limited group of administrators and by restricting access to the management web interface to only trusted internal IP addresses according to our recommended best practice deployment guidelines.
This issue is applicable to PAN-OS software on PA-Series and VM-Series firewalls and on Panorama (virtual and M-Series).
Cloud NGFW and Prisma Access® are not impacted by these vulnerabilities.
Product Status
| Versions | Affected | Unaffected |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud NGFW | None | All |
| PAN-OS 12.1 | < 12.1.4-h5 < 12.1.7 | >= 12.1.4-h5 >= 12.1.7 (ETA: 05/28) |
| PAN-OS 11.2 | < 11.2.4-h17 < 11.2.7-h13 < 11.2.10-h6 < 11.2.12 | >= 11.2.4-h17 (ETA: 05/28) >= 11.2.7-h13 >= 11.2.10-h6 >= 11.2.12 (ETA: 05/28) |
| PAN-OS 11.1 | < 11.1.4-h33 < 11.1.6-h32 < 11.1.7-h6 < 11.1.10-h25 < 11.1.13-h5 < 11.1.15 | >= 11.1.4-h33 >= 11.1.6-h32 >= 11.1.7-h6 (ETA: 05/28) >= 11.1.10-h25 >= 11.1.13-h5 >= 11.1.15 (ETA: 05/28) |
| PAN-OS 10.2 | < 10.2.7-h34 < 10.2.10-h36 < 10.2.13-h21 < 10.2.16-h7 < 10.2.18-h6 | >= 10.2.7-h34 (ETA: 05/28) >= 10.2.10-h36 >= 10.2.13-h21 (ETA: 05/28) >= 10.2.16-h7 (ETA: 05/28) >= 10.2.18-h6 |
| Prisma Access | None | All |
Required Configuration for Exposure
No special configuration is required to be affected by this issue.
Severity: MEDIUM, Suggested Urgency: MODERATE
The risk is highest when you allow access to the management interface from external IP addresses on the internet.
MEDIUM
- CVSS-BT: 6.1 /CVSS-B: 8.6 (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:U/AU:N/R:U/V:C/RE:M/U:Amber)
You can reduce the risk of exploitation by restricting access to a jump box that is the only system allowed to access the management interface.
MEDIUM
- CVSS-BT: 5.7 /CVSS-B: 8.4 (CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U/AU:N/R:U/V:D/RE:M/U:Amber)
Exploitation Status
Palo Alto Networks is not aware of any malicious exploitation of these issues.
Weakness Type and Impact
CWE-78 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
Solution
| Version | Minor Version | Suggested Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud NGFW | No action needed. | |
| PAN-OS 12.1 |
12.1.5 through 12.1.6 | Upgrade to 12.1.7 or later. |
| 12.1.2 through 12.1.4-h* | Upgrade to 12.1.4-h5 or 12.1.7 or later. | |
| PAN-OS 11.2 |
11.2.11 or later | Upgrade to 11.2.12 or later. |
| 11.2.8 through 11.2.10-h* | Upgrade to 11.2.10-h6 or 11.2.12 or later. | |
| 11.2.5 through 11.2.7-h* | Upgrade to 11.2.7-h13 or 11.2.12 or later. | |
| 11.2.0 through 11.2.4-h* | Upgrade to 11.2.4-h17 or 11.2.12 or later. | |
| PAN-OS 11.1 |
11.1.14 or later | Upgrade to 11.1.15 or later. |
| 11.1.11 through 11.1.13-h* | Upgrade to 11.1.13-h5 or 11.1.15 or later. | |
| 11.1.8 through 11.1.10-h* | Upgrade to 11.1.10-h25 or 11.1.15 or later. | |
| 11.1.7 through 11.1.7-h* | Upgrade to 11.1.7-h6 or 11.1.15 or later. | |
| 11.1.5 through 11.1.6-h* | Upgrade to 11.1.6-h32 or 11.1.15 or later. | |
| 11.1.0 through 11.1.4-h* | Upgrade to 11.1.4-h33 or 11.1.15 or later. | |
| PAN-OS 10.2 |
10.2.17 through 10.2.18-h* | Upgrade to 10.2.18-h6 or later. |
| 10.2.14 through 10.2.16-h* | Upgrade to 10.2.16-h7 or 10.2.18-h6 or later. | |
| 10.2.11 through 10.2.13-h* | Upgrade to 10.2.13-h21 or 10.2.18-h6 or later. | |
| 10.2.8 through 10.2.10-h* | Upgrade to 10.2.10-h36 or 10.2.18-h6 or later. | |
| 10.2.0 through 10.2.7-h* | Upgrade to 10.2.7-h34 or 10.2.18-h6 or later. | |
| All older unsupported PAN-OS versions | Upgrade to a supported fixed version. | |
| Prisma Access | No action needed. |
Workarounds and Mitigations
The vast majority of firewalls already follow Palo Alto Networks' and industry best practices. However, if you have not already, we strongly recommend that you secure access to your management interface according to our best practice deployment guidelines. Specifically, you should restrict management interface access to only trusted internal IP addresses.
Review information about how to secure management access to your Palo Alto Networks firewalls:
- Palo Alto Networks LIVEcommunity article: https://live.paloaltonetworks.com/t5/community-blogs/tips-amp-tricks-how-to-secure-the-management-access-of-your-palo/ba-p/464431
- Palo Alto Networks official and detailed technical documentation: https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/best-practices/10-1/administrative-access-best-practices/administrative-access-best-practices/deploy-administrative-access-best-practices
Customers with a Threat Prevention subscription can block attacks for this vulnerability by enabling Threat IDs 510017, 510018 and 510024 and can detect attacks for this vulnerability by enabling Threat IDs 510021, 510025 and 510026 (from Applications and Threats content version 9100-10044 and later). For these Threat IDs to protect against attacks for this vulnerability:
- Route incoming traffic for the MGT port through a DP port, e.g., enabling management profile on a DP interface for management access.
- Replace the Certificate for Inbound Traffic Management.
- Decrypt inbound traffic to the management interface so the firewall can inspect it.
- Enable threat prevention on the inbound traffic to management services.
Acknowledgments
CPEs
cpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:12.1.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:12.1.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:12.1.4:h3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:12.1.4:h2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:12.1.4:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:12.1.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:12.1.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:11.2.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:11.2.10:h5:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:11.2.10:h4:*:*:*:*:*:*
CPE Applicability
- cpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* is vulnerable from (including)12.1.0 and up to (excluding)12.1.7
- ORcpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* is vulnerable from (including)11.2.7 and up to (excluding)11.2.7-h13
- ORcpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* is vulnerable from (including)11.1.0 and up to (excluding)11.1.15
- ORcpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* is vulnerable from (including)10.2.10 and up to (excluding)10.2.10-h36