CVE-2026-0272 PAN-OS: Privilege Escalation (PE) Vulnerability in the Command Line Interface (CLI)
Description
A privilege escalation vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS® software allows an authenticated administrator with access to the Command Line Interface (CLI) to perform actions on the device with root privileges.
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 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 this vulnerability.
Product Status
| Versions | Affected | Unaffected |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud NGFW | None | All |
| PAN-OS 12.1 | < 12.1.4-h7 < 12.1.5 | >= 12.1.4-h7 >= 12.1.5 |
| PAN-OS 11.2 | < 11.2.4-h18 < 11.2.7-h16 < 11.2.10-h9 < 11.2.11 | >= 11.2.4-h18 >= 11.2.7-h16 >= 11.2.10-h9 >= 11.2.11 |
| PAN-OS 11.1 | < 11.1.4-h34 < 11.1.6-h33 < 11.1.7-h7 < 11.1.10-h27 < 11.1.13-h7 < 11.1.14 | >= 11.1.4-h34 >= 11.1.6-h33 >= 11.1.7-h7 >= 11.1.10-h27 >= 11.1.13-h7 >= 11.1.14 |
| PAN-OS 10.2 | < 10.2.7-h35 < 10.2.10-h37 < 10.2.13-h22 < 10.2.16-h8 < 10.2.18-h5 | >= 10.2.7-h35 >= 10.2.10-h37 >= 10.2.13-h22 >= 10.2.16-h8 >= 10.2.18-h5 |
| 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: 6.0 /CVSS-B: 8.5 (CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/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: 5.6 /CVSS-B: 8.3 (CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U/AU:N/R:U/V:C/RE:M/U:Amber)
Exploitation Status
Palo Alto Networks is not aware of any malicious exploitation of this issue.
Weakness Type and Impact
CAPEC-233 Privilege Escalation
Solution
| Version | Minor Version Range | Suggested Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud NGFW | No action needed. | |
| PAN-OS 12.1 | 12.1.2 through 12.1.4-h* | Upgrade to 12.1.4-h7 or 12.1.5 or later. |
| PAN-OS 11.2 | 11.2.8 through 11.2.10-h* | Upgrade to 11.2.10-h9 or 11.2.11 or later. |
| 11.2.5 through 11.2.7-h* | Upgrade to 11.2.7-h16 or 11.2.11 or later. | |
| 11.2.0 through 11.2.4-h* | Upgrade to 11.2.4-h18 or 11.2.11 or later. | |
| PAN-OS 11.1 | 11.1.11 through 11.1.13-h* | Upgrade to 11.1.13-h7 or 11.1.14 or later. |
| 11.1.7 through 11.1.10-h* | Upgrade to 11.1.10-h27 or 11.1.14 or later. | |
| 11.1.5 through 11.1.6-h* | Upgrade to 11.1.6-h33 or 11.1.14 or later. | |
| 11.1.0 through 11.1.4-h* | Upgrade to 11.1.4-h34 or 11.1.14 or later. | |
| PAN-OS 10.2 | 10.2.17 through 10.2.18-h* | Upgrade to 10.2.18-h5 or later. |
| 10.2.14 through 10.2.16-h* | Upgrade to 10.2.16-h8 or 10.2.18-h5 or later. | |
| 10.2.11 through 10.2.13-h* | Upgrade to 10.2.13-h22 or 10.2.18-h5 or later. | |
| 10.2.8 through 10.2.10-h* | Upgrade to 10.2.10-h37 or 10.2.18-h5 or later. | |
| 10.2.0 through 10.2.7-h* | Upgrade to 10.2.7-h35 or 10.2.18-h5 or later. | |
| All other 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
- Palo Alto Networks official and detailed technical documentation
Acknowledgments
CPEs
cpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:12.1.4:h6:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:12.1.4:h5:*:*:*:*:*:*
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:11.2.10:h8:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:11.2.10:h7:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:11.2.10:h6:*:*:*:*:*:*
CPE Applicability
- cpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* is vulnerable from (including)12.1.2 and up to (excluding)12.1.4-h7
- ORcpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* is vulnerable from (including)11.2.0 and up to (excluding)11.2.4-h18
- ORcpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* is vulnerable from (including)11.2.5 and up to (excluding)11.2.7-h16
- ORcpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* is vulnerable from (including)11.2.8 and up to (excluding)11.2.10-h9
- ORcpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* is vulnerable from (including)11.2.10 and up to (excluding)11.2.11
- ORcpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* is vulnerable from (including)11.1.0 and up to (excluding)11.1.4-h34
- ORcpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* is vulnerable from (including)11.1.5 and up to (excluding)11.1.6-h33
- ORcpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* is vulnerable from (including)11.1.7 and up to (excluding)11.1.7-h7
- ORcpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* is vulnerable from (including)11.1.8 and up to (excluding)11.1.10-h27
- ORcpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* is vulnerable from (including)11.1.11 and up to (excluding)11.1.13-h7
- ORcpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* is vulnerable from (including)11.1.13 and up to (excluding)11.1.14
- ORcpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* is vulnerable from (including)10.2.0 and up to (excluding)10.2.7-h35
- ORcpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* is vulnerable from (including)10.2.8 and up to (excluding)10.2.10-h37
- ORcpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* is vulnerable from (including)10.2.11 and up to (excluding)10.2.13-h22
- ORcpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* is vulnerable from (including)10.2.14 and up to (excluding)10.2.16-h8
- ORcpe:2.3:o:palo_alto_networks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* is vulnerable from (including)10.2.17 and up to (excluding)10.2.18-h5