# CVE-2023-0009: GlobalProtect App: Local Privilege Escalation (PE) Vulnerability

> A local user can execute programs with elevated privileges on Windows via the GlobalProtect app, requiring a patch to prevent privilege escalation.

- **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:** 14 Jun 2023
- **Updated:** 30 Dec 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-78x2-mpc6-77hm

## What is CVE-2023-0009?

CVE-2023-0009 is a high-severity vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect App, published on 14 Jun 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A local privilege escalation (PE) vulnerability in the Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect app on Windows enables a local user to execute programs with elevated privileges.

Weakness: CWE-807 (Reliance on Untrusted Inputs in a Security Decision)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-0009?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Paloaltonetworks Globalprotect.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-0009?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-0009 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-0009 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-0009 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect App

- [CVE-2025-4232](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-4232/): GlobalProtect: Authenticated Code Injection Through Wildcard on macOS (high 8.5)
- [CVE-2021-3057](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-3057/): GlobalProtect App: Buffer Overflow Vulnerability When Connecting to Portal or Gateway (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2022-0016](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0016/): GlobalProtect App: Privilege Escalation Vulnerability When Using Connect Before Logon (high 7.4)
- [CVE-2025-0120](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-0120/): GlobalProtect App: Local Privilege Escalation (PE) Vulnerability (high 7.1)
- [CVE-2019-17436](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-17436/): Privilege escalation in GlobalProtect Agent for Linux and OSX (high 7.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-0009 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-0009 is a high-severity vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect App, published on 14 Jun 2023. 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-2023-0009 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect App. 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-2023-0009/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-0009/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-0009
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-0009
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-0009

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-0009/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.