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TI-2021-02180 Aliases CVE-2021-3042GHSA-6cmh-xrj8-pmc5

Cortex XDR Agent: Improper Control of User-Controlled File Leads to Local Privilege Escalation

Priority LOW 34CWE-427Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Local
Privileges required
Low
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 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-427.

Summary

A local privilege escalation (PE) 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. Exploiting this vulnerability requires the user to have file creation privilege in the Windows root directory (such as C:\). This issue impacts: All versions of Cortex XDR agent 6.1 without content update 181 or a later version; All versions of Cortex XDR agent 7.2 without content update 181 or a later version; All versions of Cortex XDR agent 7.3 without content update 181 or a later version. Cortex XDR agent 5.0 versions are not impacted by this issue. Content updates are required to resolve this issue and are automatically applied for the agent.

Why it matters now

EPSS 0.00248 16th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed Cortex XDR Agent (Palo Alto Networks): 5.0 all

SSVC decision points

Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
Palo Alto NetworksCortex XDR Agent—5.0 allPatch availableCNA
Palo Alto NetworksCortex XDR Agentall versions; all versions—No fix listedCNA
Palo Alto NetworksCortex XDR Agentall versions—No fix listedCNA
  • Cortex XDR Agent VendorPalo Alto Networks Affected — Fixed in 5.0 all Patch available CNA
  • Cortex XDR Agent VendorPalo Alto Networks Affected all versions; all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
  • Cortex XDR Agent VendorPalo Alto Networks Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 6

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:paloaltonetworks:cortex_xdr_agent:6.1:-:*:*:*:*:*:*6.1VulnerableCyberArk Software, a Palo Alto Networks Company
cpe:2.3:a:paloaltonetworks:cortex_xdr_agent:7.2:-:*:*:*:*:*:*7.2VulnerableCyberArk Software, a Palo Alto Networks Company
cpe:2.3:a:paloaltonetworks:cortex_xdr_agent:7.2:content_update149:*:*:*:*:*:*7.2 content_update149VulnerableCyberArk Software, a Palo Alto Networks Company
cpe:2.3:a:paloaltonetworks:cortex_xdr_agent:7.2:content_update150:*:*:*:*:*:*7.2 content_update150VulnerableCyberArk Software, a Palo Alto Networks Company
cpe:2.3:a:paloaltonetworks:cortex_xdr_agent:7.3:-:*:*:*:*:*:*7.3VulnerableCyberArk Software, a Palo Alto Networks Company
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*not specified by NVDRunning onMicrosoft

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA Cortex XDR Agent (Palo Alto Networks) Fixed in 5.0 all

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2021-3042
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-6cmh-xrj8-pmc5

References

Advisory 1

  • 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
See all 367 →

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences