# CVE-2023-38046: PAN-OS: Read System Files and Resources During Configuration Commit

> An authenticated administrator can read local system files and resources by committing a specifically crafted configuration in PAN-OS.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 12 Jul 2023
- **Updated:** 10 Feb 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-rmqh-gmh5-hf3w

## What is CVE-2023-38046?

CVE-2023-38046 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Paloaltonetworks Pan-Os, published on 12 Jul 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability exists in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS software that enables an authenticated administrator with the privilege to commit a specifically created configuration to read local files and resources from the system.

Weakness: CWE-610 (Externally Controlled Reference to a Resource in Another Sphere)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-38046?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Paloaltonetworks Pan-Os.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-38046?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-38046 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-38046 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-38046 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-2023-38046 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-38046 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Paloaltonetworks Pan-Os, published on 12 Jul 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-38046 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-2023-38046/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38046/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-38046
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-38046
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-38046

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38046/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.