# CVE-2021-3041: Cortex XDR Agent: Improper control of user-controlled file leads to local privilege escalation

> Local authenticated users can escalate privileges to SYSTEM by manipulating files or registry keys in the Cortex XDR agent.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 10 Jun 2021
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-gvxw-2m7p-wc8h

## What is CVE-2021-3041?

CVE-2021-3041 is a high-severity vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks Cortex XDR Agent, published on 10 Jun 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A local privilege escalation vulnerability exists in the Palo Alto Networks Cortex XDR agent on Windows platforms that enables an authenticated local Windows user to execute programs with SYSTEM privileges. This requires the user to have the privilege to create files in the Windows root directory or to manipulate key registry values. This issue impacts: Cortex XDR agent 5.0 versions earlier than Cortex XDR agent 5.0.11; Cortex XDR agent 6.1 versions earlier than Cortex XDR agent 6.1.8; Cortex XDR agent 7.2 versions earlier than Cortex XDR agent 7.2.3; All versions of Cortex XDR agent 7.2 without content update release 171 or a later version.

Weakness: CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-3041?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Paloaltonetworks Cortex Xdr Agent.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-3041?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-3041 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-3041 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-3041 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Palo Alto Networks Cortex XDR Agent

- [CVE-2022-0015](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0015/): Cortex XDR Agent: An Uncontrolled Search Path Element Leads to Local Privilege Escalation (PE) Vulnerability (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2021-3042](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-3042/): Cortex XDR Agent: Improper Control of User-Controlled File Leads to Local Privilege Escalation (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2020-2049](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-2049/): Cortex XDR Agent: Improper control of loaded DLL leads to local privilege escalation (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2024-5909](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-5909/): Cortex XDR Agent: Local Windows User Can Disable the Agent (medium 6.8)
- [CVE-2022-0025](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0025/): Cortex XDR Agent: An Uncontrolled Search Path Element Leads to Local Privilege Escalation (PE) Vulnerability (medium 6.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-3041 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-3041 is a high-severity vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks Cortex XDR Agent, published on 10 Jun 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-3041 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Palo Alto Networks Cortex XDR Agent. 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-2021-3041/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-3041/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-3041
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-3041
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-3041

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-3041/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.