CVE-2021-3036

Administrator credential disclosure via duplicate API parameters

Published Apr 20, 2021 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Information exposure in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS allows local users to read administrator credentials from web server logs. When XML API clients submit a duplicate API parameter, the web server writes the request's username, password, and API key to its logs in cleartext. Exposure requires the XML API to be enabled, a malformed authenticated request, and high-privilege local log access; no integrity or availability impact is reported.

CVSS severity4.4
Medium
EPSS probability0.25%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Information exposure in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS allows local users to read administrator credentials from web server logs. When XML API clients submit a duplicate API parameter, the web server writes the request's username, password, and API key to its logs in cleartext. Exposure requires the XML API to be enabled, a malformed authenticated request, and high-privilege local log access; no integrity or availability impact is reported.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-3036
Published
Apr 20, 2021
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
Palo Alto Networks
Product
PAN-OS
Classifications
CWE-532, T1552.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 20, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 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=10.0 <10.0.1 changes=[{"at":"10.0.1","status":"unaffected"}]
  2. Affected versionversion=8.1 <8.1.19 changes=[{"at":"8.1.19","status":"unaffected"}]
  3. Affected versionversion=9.0 <9.0.12 changes=[{"at":"9.0.12","status":"unaffected"}]
  4. Affected versionversion=9.1 <9.1.6 changes=[{"at":"9.1.6","status":"unaffected"}]

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Palo Alto Networks · PAN-OSversion=10.0 <10.0.1 changes=[{"at":"10.0.1","status":"unaffected"}]; version=8.1 <8.1.19 changes=[{"at":"8.1.19","status":"unaffected"}]; version=9.0 <9.0.12 changes=[{"at":"9.0.12","status":"unaffected"}]; version=9.1 <9.1.6 changes=[{"at":"9.1.6","status":"unaffected"}]

Published CVSS scores

4.4Palo Alto NetworksCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
2.1NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-532Insertion of Sensitive Information into Log File
T1552.001Credentials In Files

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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