CVE-2020-1993Network attack vector

Session hijacking via unchanged post-login identifier

Published May 13, 2020 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Session fixation in PAN-OS GlobalProtect Portal 7.1, 8.0, 8.1 before 8.1.14, and 9.0 before 9.0.8 allows remote authenticated users to hijack sessions. After a successful user login, the portal retains the attacker-controlled PHP session identifier instead of issuing a new one, binding the authenticated state to a value already known to the attacker. Exploitation requires control of the user's pre-login session identifier and user interaction; it permits access to that user's portal session but does not interrupt service.

CVSS severity3.7
Low
EPSS probability0.43%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Session fixation in PAN-OS GlobalProtect Portal 7.1, 8.0, 8.1 before 8.1.14, and 9.0 before 9.0.8 allows remote authenticated users to hijack sessions. After a successful user login, the portal retains the attacker-controlled PHP session identifier instead of issuing a new one, binding the authenticated state to a value already known to the attacker. Exploitation requires control of the user's pre-login session identifier and user interaction; it permits access to that user's portal session but does not interrupt service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-1993
Published
May 13, 2020
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
Palo Alto Networks
Product
PAN-OS
Classifications
CWE-384, T1550.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 13, 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=7.1.*
  2. Affected versionversion=8.0.*
  3. Affected versionversion=8.1 <8.1.14 changes=[{"at":"8.1.14","status":"unaffected"}]
  4. Affected versionversion=9.0 <9.0.8 changes=[{"at":"9.0.8","status":"unaffected"}]

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Palo Alto Networks · PAN-OSversion=7.1.*; version=8.0.*; version=8.1 <8.1.14 changes=[{"at":"8.1.14","status":"unaffected"}]; version=9.0 <9.0.8 changes=[{"at":"9.0.8","status":"unaffected"}]

Published CVSS scores

5.4NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
3.7Palo Alto NetworksCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
5.5NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:N

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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-384Session Fixation
T1550.004Use Alternate Authentication Material: Web Session Cookie

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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