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

7.8HIGH

Key Information:

Vendor
CVE Published:
9 June 2021

Badges

👾 Exploit Exists

Summary

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.

Affected Version(s)

Cortex XDR Agent 5.0 < 5.0.11

Cortex XDR Agent 6.1 < 6.1.8

Cortex XDR Agent 7.2 < 7.2.3 or without content update 171 or later

References

CVSS V3.1

Score:
7.8
Severity:
HIGH
Confidentiality:
High
Integrity:
High
Availability:
High
Attack Vector:
Local
Attack Complexity:
Low
Privileges Required:
Low
User Interaction:
None
Scope:
Unchanged

Timeline

  • 👾

    Exploit known to exist

  • Vulnerability published

  • Vulnerability Reserved

Credit

This issue was found by Robert McCallum of Palo Alto Networks during internal security review.
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