CVE-2024-8686: CWE-78 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS
A command injection vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS software enables an authenticated administrator to bypass system restrictions and run arbitrary commands as root on the firewall.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
This vulnerability (CVE-2024-8686) in PAN-OS 11.2.2 involves improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands (CWE-78), enabling an authenticated administrator to perform OS command injection. This allows execution of arbitrary commands with root privileges on the affected firewall device. The CVSS 4.0 score of 8.6 reflects high impact due to network attack vector, low attack complexity, no user interaction, and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Potential Impact
An attacker with authenticated administrator access can exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary commands as root on the firewall. This could lead to full system compromise, unauthorized access to sensitive data, and disruption of firewall operations. The impact is significant given the elevated privileges and control over the firewall device.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the Palo Alto Networks vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until an official fix is released, restrict administrator access to trusted personnel only and monitor for suspicious activity. Do not assume the vulnerability is mitigated without vendor confirmation.
CVE-2024-8686: CWE-78 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS
Description
A command injection vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS software enables an authenticated administrator to bypass system restrictions and run arbitrary commands as root on the firewall.
CVSS v4.0
Score 8.6high
Affected software
Weaknesses
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
This vulnerability (CVE-2024-8686) in PAN-OS 11.2.2 involves improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands (CWE-78), enabling an authenticated administrator to perform OS command injection. This allows execution of arbitrary commands with root privileges on the affected firewall device. The CVSS 4.0 score of 8.6 reflects high impact due to network attack vector, low attack complexity, no user interaction, and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Potential Impact
An attacker with authenticated administrator access can exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary commands as root on the firewall. This could lead to full system compromise, unauthorized access to sensitive data, and disruption of firewall operations. The impact is significant given the elevated privileges and control over the firewall device.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the Palo Alto Networks vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until an official fix is released, restrict administrator access to trusted personnel only and monitor for suspicious activity. Do not assume the vulnerability is mitigated without vendor confirmation.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- palo_alto
- Date Reserved
- 2024-09-11T08:21:11.335Z
- Cvss Version
- 4.0
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Remediation Level
- null
Threat ID: 6a04e0cecbff5d861008160e
Added to database: 05/13/2026, 20:36:30 UTC
Last enriched: 05/13/2026, 20:51:20 UTC
Last updated: 07/07/2026, 03:03:29 UTC
Views: 78
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