CVE-2021-3042

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

Published Jul 15, 2021 CVSS 3.1 · 7.8 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
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.

Remediation

Vendor Solution

This issue is fixed in Cortex XDR agent 6.1, Cortex XDR agent 7.2, Cortex XDR agent 7.3, and all later Cortex XDR agent versions with content update 181 or later content updates. Content updates are required to resolve this issue and are automatically applied for the agent.


Vendor Workaround

This issue is mitigated by preventing local authenticated Windows users from creating files in the Windows root directory (such as C:\).

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
EUVD EUVD EUVD-2021-26394 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.
History

No history.

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
palo_alto
Published
Updated
Sep 17, 2024, 4:18 AM
Reserved
Jan 6, 2021, 12:00 AM
Status
Modified
Published
Jul 15, 2021, 5:15 PM
Modified
Jun 17, 2026, 4:04 AM