When Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) authentication is enabled and the 'Validate Identity Provider Certificate' option is disabled (unchecked), improper verification of signatures in PAN-OS SAML authentication enables an unauthenticated network-based attacker to access protected resources
Why It Matters
Analysis dossierWhy It Matters
When Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) authentication is enabled and the 'Validate Identity Provider Certificate' option is disabled (unchecked), improper verification of signatures in PAN-OS SAML authentication enables an unauthenticated network-based attacker to access protected resources. The attacker must have network access to the vulnerable server to exploit this vulnerability. This issue affects PAN-OS 9.1 versions earlier than PAN-OS 9.1.3; PAN-OS 9.0 versions earlier than PAN-OS 9.0.9; PAN-OS 8.1 versions earlier than PAN-OS 8.1.15, and all versions of PAN-OS 8.0 (EOL). This issue does not affect PAN-OS 7.1. This issue cannot be exploited if SAML is not used for authentication. This issue cannot be exploited if the 'Validate Identity Provider Certificate' option is enabled (checked) in the SAML Identity Provider Server Profile. Resources that can be protected by SAML-based single sign-on (SSO) authentication are: GlobalProtect Gateway, GlobalProtect Portal, GlobalProtect Clientless VPN, Authentication and Captive Portal, PAN-OS next-generation firewalls (PA-Series, VM-Series) and Panorama web interfaces, Prisma Access In the case of GlobalProtect Gateways, GlobalProtect Portal, Clientless VPN, Captive Portal, and Prisma Access, an unauthenticated attacker with network access to the affected servers can gain access to protected resources if allowed by configured authentication and Security policies. There is no impact on the integrity and availability of the gateway, portal or VPN server. An attacker cannot inspect or tamper with sessions of regular users. In the worst case, this is a critical severity vulnerability with a CVSS Base Score of 10.0 (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N). In the case of PAN-OS and Panorama web interfaces, this issue allows an unauthenticated attacker with network access to the PAN-OS or Panorama web interfaces to log in as an administrator and perform administrative actions. In the worst-case scenario, this is a critical severity vulnerability with a CVSS Base Score of 10.0 (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H). If the web interfaces are only accessible to a restricted management network, then the issue is lowered to a CVSS Base Score of 9.6 (CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H). Palo Alto Networks is not aware of any malicious attempts to exploit this vulnerability.
Immediate Attention
Yes
Unknown
Risk basis: CISA KEV exploitation signal; SOC ecosystem technology relevance; CRITICAL severity; Source-confirmed exploitation or CISA KEV/ransomware metadata
Affected Products & Remediation
1 source-backed product- paloaltonetworks pan-os · >= 8.0.0 <= 8.0.20; >= 8.1.0 < 8.1.15; >= 9.0.0 < 9.0.9; >= 9.1.0 < 9.1.3 · NVD CPE · Source
Vendor or catalog guidance (source)
- CISA KEV: Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Known exploitation (source facts)
Only what a source states. Unknown means no source has said either way; it is not "not exploited".
- CISA KEV
- Listed
- Exploited (source statement)
- Yes
- Publicly disclosed (source)
- Unknown
CISA required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Suggested hunting (rule-based inference)
SecOps Signal recommendation (rule-based inference). These steps are hunting hypotheses from the vulnerability class; they do not state or imply that exploitation occurred here or anywhere.
Matched kev-network-exposure (CVSS AV:N, CISA KEV Listed); network-unauthenticated (CVSS AV:N, CVSS PR:N, CVSS UI:N)
Exposure
- Identify assets with the exact CVE and confirm the affected product/version against the advisory.Telemetry: DeviceTvmSoftwareVulnerabilities · KEV listing raises urgency, but inventory is needed to establish local exposure. · Rule kev-network-exposure
- Identify devices reporting this CVE and note which expose the affected service to untrusted networks.Telemetry: DeviceTvmSoftwareVulnerabilities · A network-reachable, no-privilege vector makes internet-facing instances the first exposure question. · Rule network-unauthenticated
Exploitation evidence
- Review relevant edge or application access logs for unusual requests around the advisory window.Telemetry: CommonSecurityLog · Log review is a hunting hypothesis; KEV listing alone does not show local exploitation. · Rule kev-network-exposure
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Exploitation evidence
- Review inbound connections to the affected service from unexpected sources since the advisory date.Telemetry: DeviceNetworkEvents · Hunting hypothesis from the CVSS vector; it does not show that exploitation occurred. · Rule network-unauthenticated
Response
- Recheck the affected assets after the source-stated mitigation or update is applied.Telemetry: DeviceTvmSoftwareVulnerabilities · A follow-up inventory check verifies local remediation. · Rule kev-network-exposure
CISA KEV Record
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Change History & Source Data
— No recorded material change
- CNA / source
- psirt@paloaltonetworks.com
- Record status · verification
- UPDATED · CISA KEV confirmed
- CPE
- cpe:2.3:o:paloaltonetworks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Evidence & Provenance
Linked by the query's stored exact CVE association. Review required tables and validation status before use.
DeviceTvmSoftwareVulnerabilities| where CveId == "CVE-2020-2021"| project DeviceId, DeviceName, OSPlatform, OSVersion, SoftwareVendor, SoftwareName, SoftwareVersion, CveId, VulnerabilitySeverityLevel, RecommendedSecurityUpdate, RecommendedSecurityUpdateId| sort by VulnerabilitySeverityLevel descLooking up related community queries…