CVE-2025-0110 is an OS command injection vulnerability identified in the PAN-OS OpenConfig plugin version 1.0.0 by Palo Alto Networks. The flaw stems from improper neutralization of special characters in OS commands (CWE-78), allowing an authenticated administrator who can send gNMI requests via the PAN-OS management web interface to bypass system restrictions and execute arbitrary OS commands. These commands run under the __openconfig user account, which possesses Device Administrator role privileges, effectively granting full control over the firewall device. The vulnerability does not require additional authentication or user interaction beyond administrator access, making it easier to exploit if credentials are compromised or misused. The CVSS 4.0 score of 8.6 indicates a high-severity issue with significant impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected systems. Although no public exploits have been reported yet, the potential for severe damage is substantial given the elevated privileges and control over firewall operations. Palo Alto Networks recommends mitigating this risk by restricting access to the management web interface to trusted internal IP addresses, following their best practice guidelines. This vulnerability highlights the critical need for strict access controls and monitoring on management interfaces of network security devices. Organizations should also monitor for updates or patches from Palo Alto Networks to remediate the vulnerability directly.

The impact of CVE-2025-0110 is significant for organizations worldwide that deploy Palo Alto Networks firewalls with the PAN-OS OpenConfig plugin. Successful exploitation allows an attacker with administrator-level access to execute arbitrary OS commands with Device Administrator privileges, potentially leading to full compromise of the firewall device. This can result in unauthorized configuration changes, disabling of security controls, interception or manipulation of network traffic, and lateral movement within the network. The confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the firewall and the protected network segments are at high risk. Given the critical role of firewalls in network security, exploitation could facilitate further attacks on internal systems, data exfiltration, or disruption of business operations. The vulnerability’s exploitation requires authenticated access, but if credentials are compromised or insider threats exist, the risk escalates. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently limits immediate widespread impact, but the high severity score and privileged access level mean organizations must act promptly to mitigate exposure.

To mitigate CVE-2025-0110, organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Restrict access to the PAN-OS management web interface strictly to trusted internal IP addresses using network segmentation and firewall rules, minimizing exposure to potential attackers. 2) Enforce strong authentication mechanisms and regularly audit administrator accounts to prevent credential compromise or misuse. 3) Monitor management interface access logs for unusual or unauthorized activity indicative of exploitation attempts. 4) Apply the principle of least privilege by limiting the number of administrators with gNMI request capabilities and Device Administrator roles. 5) Stay informed on Palo Alto Networks’ security advisories and apply patches or updates promptly once available to remediate the vulnerability directly. 6) Consider deploying additional network security controls such as intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) to detect anomalous command execution patterns. 7) Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focused on management interfaces to identify and remediate potential weaknesses. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice by focusing on access control hardening, monitoring, and proactive patch management specific to this vulnerability’s attack vector.