CVE-2020-2021 Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS: security feature bypass
In plain words: A built-in safety check — like a warning before opening a downloaded file — can be skipped. Makes other attacks, like malicious downloads, work without the usual warning.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline Apr 15, 2022
What to do
- Install Palo Alto Networks's security update for PAN-OS. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships.
- Patch edge devices first — attackers often start scanning for them within hours of a fix.
- Never expose the device's admin page to the internet.
- After patching a device that was exposed, follow the vendor's compromise checks, end active sessions and change passwords.
Who is affected
Work IT. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.
What's at risk: They face the internet and guard the whole network, so a flaw here can hand attackers a way in — and these devices usually run no antivirus, so break-ins go unnoticed.
The details
- Official name
- Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS Authentication Bypass Vulnerability
- Product
- Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS
- CISA description
- Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS contains a vulnerability in SAML which allows an attacker to bypass authentication.
- Type of flaw
- Security feature bypass (CWE-347)
- Confirmed exploited
- Mar 25, 2022 — known to be used in ransomware attacks
- US federal patch deadline
- Apr 15, 2022
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Answering about CVE-2020-2021 ·
Questions about CVE-2020-2021
Is CVE-2020-2021 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2020-2021 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Mar 25, 2022, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks, including by ransomware groups.
How do I fix CVE-2020-2021?
Install Palo Alto Networks's security update for PAN-OS. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships. Patch edge devices first — attackers often start scanning for them within hours of a fix.
Am I affected by CVE-2020-2021?
Only if you use Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.