# CVE-2020-1979: PAN-OS: A format string vulnerability in PAN-OS log daemon (logd) on Panorama allows local privilege escalation

> A format string vulnerability in PAN-OS Panorama allows attackers with management access to execute arbitrary code and escalate privileges.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 11 Mar 2020
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-x3hm-crq5-m74w

## What is CVE-2020-1979?

CVE-2020-1979 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Paloaltonetworks Pan-Os, published on 11 Mar 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A format string vulnerability in the PAN-OS log daemon (logd) on Panorama allows a network based attacker with knowledge of registered firewall devices and access to Panorama management interfaces to execute arbitrary code, bypassing the restricted shell and escalating privileges. This issue affects only PAN-OS 8.1 versions earlier than PAN-OS 8.1.13 on Panorama. This issue does not affect PAN-OS 7.1, PAN-OS 9.0, or later PAN-OS versions.

Weakness: CWE-134 (Use of Externally-Controlled Format String)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-1979?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Paloaltonetworks Pan-Os.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-1979?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-1979 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-1979 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-1979 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Paloaltonetworks Pan-Os

- [CVE-2024-3400](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-3400/): Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS Command Injection (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-2021](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-2021/): Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS Authentication Bypass (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2017-15944](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-15944/): Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-0300](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-0300/): Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS Out-of-bounds Write (critical 9.3, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-0012](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-0012/): Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS Management Interface Authentication Bypass (critical 9.3, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-1979 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-1979 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Paloaltonetworks Pan-Os, published on 11 Mar 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-1979 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Paloaltonetworks Pan-Os. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-1979/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-1979/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-1979
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-1979
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-1979

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-1979/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.