Global Protect Agent: Local privilege escalation due to an unquoted search path vulnerability
Priority LOW 30CWE-428Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- High
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-428.
Summary
An unquoted search path vulnerability in the Windows release of Global Protect Agent allows an authenticated local user with file creation privileges on the root of the OS disk (C:\) or to Program Files directory to gain system privileges. This issue affects Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect Agent 5.0 versions before 5.0.5; 4.1 versions before 4.1.13 on Windows;
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.0037 31st percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed Global Protect Agent (Palo Alto Networks): 5.0.5, 4.1.13
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto Networks | Global Protect Agent | 5.0 to before 5.0.5; 4.1 to before 4.1.13 | 5.0.5, 4.1.13 | Patch available | CNA |
- Global Protect Agent VendorPalo Alto Networks Affected 5.0 to before 5.0.5; 4.1 to before 4.1.13 Fixed in 5.0.5, 4.1.13 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:paloaltonetworks:globalprotect:*:*:*:*:*:windows:*:* | 4.1.0 to before 4.1.13; 5.0.0 to before 5.0.5 | Vulnerable | CyberArk Software, a Palo Alto Networks Company |
- cpe:2.3:a:paloaltonetworks:globalprotect:*:*:*:*:*:windows:*:* Versions 4.1.0 to before 4.1.13; 5.0.0 to before 5.0.5 Vulnerable ·CyberArk Software, a Palo Alto Networks Company
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Global Protect Agent (Palo Alto Networks) Fixed in 5.0.5, 4.1.13
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2020-1988
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-hp8g-87f8-285m
References
More Palo Alto Networks vulnerabilities
- TI-2024-08782 Expedition: Unauthenticated OS Command Injection Vulnerability Leads to Firewall Credential Disclosure KEVCVSS 4.0CRITICAL 9.9
- TI-2024-03172 PAN-OS: Arbitrary File Creation Leads to OS Command Injection Vulnerability in GlobalProtect KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
- TI-2020-01936 PAN-OS: Authentication Bypass in SAML Authentication KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
- TI-2017-11675 Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS before 6.1.19, 7.0.x before 7.0.19, 7.1.x before 7.1.14, and… KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-00239 PAN-OS: Unauthenticated user initiated Buffer Overflow Vulnerability in User-ID™ Authentication Portal KEVCVSS 4.0CRITICAL 9.3
- TI-2024-08784 Expedition: SQL Injection Leads to Firewall Admin Credential Disclosure KEVCVSS 4.0CRITICAL 9.2
Sources
- CVE-2020-1988 · CVE Program
- CVE-2020-1988 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-hp8g-87f8-285m · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
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