# CVE-2026-0251: GlobalProtect App: Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerabilities

> Local attackers can escalate privileges to SYSTEM or root on Windows, macOS, and Linux via the GlobalProtect app, enabling arbitrary command execution.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.9 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U/AU:N/R:U/V:D/RE:M/U:Amber`)
- **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:** 13 May 2026
- **Updated:** 14 May 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-h94g-f37w-qxpj

## What is CVE-2026-0251?

CVE-2026-0251 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks Global Protect App, published on 13 May 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Multiple local privilege escalation vulnerabilities in the Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect™ app allow a local user to escalate their privileges to NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM on Windows and root on macOS and Linux. This enables a non-administrative user to execute arbitrary commands with administrative privileges.

The GlobalProtect app on iOS, Android, Chrome OS and GlobalProtect UWP app are not affected.

Weakness: CWE-426 (Untrusted Search Path)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-0251?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Paloaltonetworks Globalprotect.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-0251?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-0251 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-0251 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-0251 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Palo Alto Networks Global Protect 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-2023-0009](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-0009/): GlobalProtect App: Local Privilege Escalation (PE) Vulnerability (high 7.8)
- [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)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-0251 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-0251 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks Global Protect App, published on 13 May 2026. 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-2026-0251 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Palo Alto Networks Global Protect 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-2026-0251/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-0251/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-0251
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-0251
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-0251

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-0251/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.