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Severity
High
Analysis Summary
A maximum-severity security vulnerability affecting PAN-OS software that has been actively exploited in the wild has been fixed by Palo Alto Networks using hotfix releases.
The critical vulnerability, identified as CVE-2024-3400 (CVSS score: 10.0), involves command injection in the GlobalProtect feature, which an unauthorized attacker might exploit to run arbitrary code on the firewall with root privileges. The PAN-OS 10.2.9-h1, PAN-OS 11.0.4-h1, and PAN-OS 11.1.2-h3 versions all provide fixes for the flaw. Over the next days, patches for further frequently used maintenance releases should also become available.
Additionally, it stated that although CVE-2024-3400 does not affect Cloud NGFW firewalls, it does affect particular PAN-OS versions and unique feature configurations of firewall virtual machines (VMs) that are deployed and managed by clients in the cloud. Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 is monitoring the malicious behavior under the moniker Operation MidnightEclipse, however the precise origins of the threat actor taking advantage of the vulnerability are currently unknown.
According to a cybersecurity firm that links it to a cluster named UTA0218, CVE-2024-3400 has been exploited since at least March 26, 2024, to install UPSTYLE, a Python-based backdoor on the firewall that permits the execution of arbitrary instructions through requests that are carefully constructed. The threat intelligence firm claimed to have evidence of possible reconnaissance operations involving more extensive exploitation targeted at identifying weak systems, albeit it is unclear how broad the exploitation has been.
UTA0218 has been seen to use extra payloads in attacks that have been reported so far to start reverse shells, steal PAN-OS configuration information, erase log files, and use the Golang tunneling program GOST (GO Simple Tunnel). Although it's unclear if this is intentional or the result of early notice and response, no more follow-up malware or persistence techniques are reported to have been installed on victim networks.
Impact
- Code Execution
- Unauthorized Access
- Sensitive Information Theft
Remediation
- Refer to Palo Alto Security Advisory for patch, upgrade, or suggested workaround information.
- Implement multi-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security to login processes.
- Regularly monitor network activity for any unusual behavior, as this may indicate that a cyberattack is underway.
- Organizations need to stay vigilant and follow best practices for cybersecurity to protect their systems and data from potential threats. This includes regularly updating software and implementing strong access controls and monitoring tools.
- Develop a comprehensive incident response plan to respond effectively in case of a security breach or data leakage.
- Maintain regular backups of critical data and systems to ensure data recovery in case of a security incident.
- Adhere to security best practices, including the principle of least privilege, and ensure that users and applications have only the necessary permissions.
- Establish a robust patch management process to ensure that security patches are evaluated, tested, and applied promptly.
- Conduct security audits and assessments to evaluate the overall security posture of your systems and networks.
- Implement network segmentation to contain and isolate potential threats to limit their impact on critical systems.
