Global Protect Agent: Incorrect privilege assignment allows local privilege escalation
Priority LOW 34CWE-266Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Privilege escalation
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-266.
Summary
An incorrect privilege assignment vulnerability when writing application-specific files in the Palo Alto Networks Global Protect Agent for Linux on ARM platform allows a local authenticated user to gain root privileges on the system. This issue affects Palo Alto Networks Global Protect Agent for Linux 5.0 versions before 5.0.8; 5.1 versions before 5.1.1.
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.00265 18th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed Global Protect Agent (Palo Alto Networks): 5.0.8, 5.1.1
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 5.0.8; 5.1 to before 5.1.1 | 5.0.8, 5.1.1 | Patch available | CNA |
- Global Protect Agent VendorPalo Alto Networks Affected 5.0 to before 5.0.8; 5.1 to before 5.1.1 Fixed in 5.0.8, 5.1.1 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:paloaltonetworks:globalprotect:*:*:*:*:*:linux:*:* | 5.0 to before 5.0.8; 5.1 to before 5.1.1 | Vulnerable | CyberArk Software, a Palo Alto Networks Company |
- cpe:2.3:a:paloaltonetworks:globalprotect:*:*:*:*:*:linux:*:* Versions 5.0 to before 5.0.8; 5.1 to before 5.1.1 Vulnerable ·CyberArk Software, a Palo Alto Networks Company
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Global Protect Agent (Palo Alto Networks) Fixed in 5.0.8, 5.1.1
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2020-1989
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-35xw-gh3h-mxj5
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-2020-1989 · CVE Program
- CVE-2020-1989 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-35xw-gh3h-mxj5 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
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