CVE-2020-1998 PAN-OS: Improper SAML SSO authorization of shared local users

Medium 5.4 Published 13 May 2020 Updated 16 Sep 2024

Attackers can bypass SAML SSO authorization to gain unintended resource access by exploiting improper local user permission handling in PAN-OS.

Exploited in the wild: Not known
Login needed: Any signed-in user
Attackable: Over the internet
Victim action needed: Not needed
Fix: None listed

What is CVE-2020-1998?

CVE-2020-1998 is a medium-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Paloaltonetworks Pan-Os, published on 13 May 2020. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

Official description

An improper authorization vulnerability in PAN-OS that mistakenly uses the permissions of local linux users instead of the intended SAML permissions of the account when the username is shared for the purposes of SSO authentication. This can result in authentication bypass and unintended resource access for the user. This issue affects: PAN-OS 7.1 versions earlier than 7.1.26; PAN-OS 8.1 versions earlier than 8.1.13; PAN-OS 9.0 versions earlier than 9.0.6; PAN-OS 9.1 versions earlier than 9.1.1; All versions of PAN-OS 8.0.

Weakness: CWE-863, CWE-285

Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-1998?

It affects 1 product.

Products include Paloaltonetworks Pan-Os.

How do I fix CVE-2020-1998?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-1998 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

Upgrade, and rotate credentials and sessions that may have been exposed. More about Authentication bypass.

Is CVE-2020-1998 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-1998 in the wild and no public exploit code.

All Paloaltonetworks Pan-Os vulnerabilities

Sources

Also known as GHSA-mhxp-v7wq-3qqc.