Description

When Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) authentication is enabled and the 'Validate Identity Provider Certificate' option is disabled (unchecked), improper verification of signatures in PAN-OS SAML authentication enables an unauthenticated network-based attacker to access protected resources. The attacker must have network access to the vulnerable server to exploit this vulnerability. This issue affects PAN-OS 9.1 versions earlier than PAN-OS 9.1.3; PAN-OS 9.0 versions earlier than PAN-OS 9.0.9; PAN-OS 8.1 versions earlier than PAN-OS 8.1.15, and all versions of PAN-OS 8.0 (EOL). This issue does not affect PAN-OS 7.1. This issue cannot be exploited if SAML is not used for authentication. This issue cannot be exploited if the 'Validate Identity Provider Certificate' option is enabled (checked) in the SAML Identity Provider Server Profile. Resources that can be protected by SAML-based single sign-on (SSO) authentication are: GlobalProtect Gateway, GlobalProtect Portal, GlobalProtect Clientless VPN, Authentication and Captive Portal, PAN-OS next-generation firewalls (PA-Series, VM-Series) and Panorama web interfaces, Prisma Access In the case of GlobalProtect Gateways, GlobalProtect Portal, Clientless VPN, Captive Portal, and Prisma Access, an unauthenticated attacker with network access to the affected servers can gain access to protected resources if allowed by configured authentication and Security policies. There is no impact on the integrity and availability of the gateway, portal or VPN server. An attacker cannot inspect or tamper with sessions of regular users. In the worst case, this is a critical severity vulnerability with a CVSS Base Score of 10.0 (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N). In the case of PAN-OS and Panorama web interfaces, this issue allows an unauthenticated attacker with network access to the PAN-OS or Panorama web interfaces to log in as an administrator and perform administrative actions. In the worst-case scenario, this is a critical severity vulnerability with a CVSS Base Score of 10.0 (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H). If the web interfaces are only accessible to a restricted management network, then the issue is lowered to a CVSS Base Score of 9.6 (CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H). Palo Alto Networks is not aware of any malicious attempts to exploit this vulnerability.

Metrics

 

CVSS Version 4.0 CVSS Version 3.x CVSS Version 2.0

NVD enrichment efforts reference publicly available information to associate vector strings. CVSS information contributed by other sources is also displayed.

CVSS 4.0 Severity and Vector Strings:

NIST: NVD

N/A

NVD assessment not yet provided.

CVSS 3.x Severity and Vector Strings:

CNA:  Palo Alto Networks, Inc.

Base Score:  10.0 CRITICAL

Vector:  CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS 2.0 Severity and Vector Strings:

NIST: NVD

Base Score:  9.3 HIGH

Vector:  (AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C)

References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools

By selecting these links, you will be leaving NIST webspace. We have provided these links to other web sites because they may have information that would be of interest to you. No inferences should be drawn on account of other sites being referenced, or not, from this page. There may be other web sites that are more appropriate for your purpose. NIST does not necessarily endorse the views expressed, or concur with the facts presented on these sites. Further, NIST does not endorse any commercial products that may be mentioned on these sites. Please address comments about this page to nvd@nist.gov.

Hyperlink	Resource
https://security.paloaltonetworks.com/CVE-2020-2021	Vendor Advisory
https://security.paloaltonetworks.com/CVE-2020-2021	Vendor Advisory

This CVE is in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog

Reference CISA's BOD 22-01 and Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog for further guidance and requirements.

Vulnerability Name	Date Added	Due Date	Required Action
Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS Authentication Bypass Vulnerability	03/25/2022	04/15/2022	Apply updates per vendor instructions.

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-ID	CWE Name	Source
CWE-347	Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature	NIST   Palo Alto Networks, Inc.

Known Affected Software Configurations Switch to CPE 2.2

CPEs loading, please wait.

Denotes Vulnerable Software
Are we missing a CPE here? Please let us know.

Change History

4 change records found show changes

CVE Modified by CVE 11/21/2024 12:24:28 AM

Action	Type	Old Value	New Value
Added	Reference		https://security.paloaltonetworks.com/CVE-2020-2021

CVE Modified by Palo Alto Networks, Inc. 5/14/2024 3:01:51 AM

Action	Type	Old Value	New Value

Initial Analysis by NIST 7/06/2020 10:39:55 AM

Action	Type	Old Value	New Value
Added	CVSS V3.1		NIST AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Added	CVSS V2		NIST (AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C)
Added	CWE		NIST CWE-347
Added	CPE Configuration		OR *cpe:2.3:o:paloaltonetworks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 8.0.0 up to (including) 8.0.20 *cpe:2.3:o:paloaltonetworks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 8.1.0 up to (excluding) 8.1.15 *cpe:2.3:o:paloaltonetworks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 9.0.0 up to (excluding) 9.0.9 *cpe:2.3:o:paloaltonetworks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 9.1.0 up to (excluding) 9.1.3
Changed	Reference Type	https://security.paloaltonetworks.com/CVE-2020-2021 No Types Assigned	https://security.paloaltonetworks.com/CVE-2020-2021 Vendor Advisory

CVE Modified by Palo Alto Networks, Inc. 6/29/2020 12:15:10 PM

Action	Type	Old Value	New Value
Changed	Description	Record truncated, showing 500 of 2402 characters. View Entire Change Record When Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) authentication is enabled and the 'Validate Identity Provider Certificate' option is disabled (unchecked), improper verification of signatures in PAN-OS SAML authentication enables an unauthenticated network-based attacker to access protected resources. The attacker must have network access to the vulnerable server to exploit this vulnerability. This issue affects PAN-OS 9.1 versions earlier than PAN-OS 9.1.3; PAN-OS 9.0 versions earlier than PAN-O	Record truncated, showing 500 of 2380 characters. View Entire Change Record When Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) authentication is enabled and the 'Validate Identity Provider Certificate' option is disabled (unchecked), improper verification of signatures in PAN-OS SAML authentication enables an unauthenticated network-based attacker to access protected resources. The attacker must have network access to the vulnerable server to exploit this vulnerability. This issue affects PAN-OS 9.1 versions earlier than PAN-OS 9.1.3; PAN-OS 9.0 versions earlier than PAN-OS