CVE-2020-1975Network attack vector

Authenticated privilege escalation via unvalidated XML

Published Feb 12, 2020 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Missing XML validation in PAN-OS 8.1 before 8.1.12 and 9.0 before 9.0.6 allows remote authenticated users to escalate privileges. The web interface accepts arbitrary XML without adequate validation, permitting crafted requests to alter authorization data. Exposure requires the web-based management interface to be enabled and an authenticated account; successful exploitation can grant higher privileges and affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

CVSS severity6.8
Medium
EPSS probability1.00%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Missing XML validation in PAN-OS 8.1 before 8.1.12 and 9.0 before 9.0.6 allows remote authenticated users to escalate privileges. The web interface accepts arbitrary XML without adequate validation, permitting crafted requests to alter authorization data. Exposure requires the web-based management interface to be enabled and an authenticated account; successful exploitation can grant higher privileges and affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-1975
Published
Feb 12, 2020
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
Palo Alto Networks
Product
PAN-OS
Classifications
CWE-112, CWE-611, T1068
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 12, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=8.1 <8.1.12 changes=[{"at":"8.1.12","status":"unaffected"}]
  2. Affected versionversion=9.0 <9.0.6 changes=[{"at":"9.0.6","status":"unaffected"}]

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Palo Alto Networks · PAN-OSversion=8.1 <8.1.12 changes=[{"at":"8.1.12","status":"unaffected"}]; version=9.0 <9.0.6 changes=[{"at":"9.0.6","status":"unaffected"}]

Published CVSS scores

6.8Palo Alto NetworksCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-112Missing XML Validation
CWE-611Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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