CVE-2021-3054Network attack vector

Root code execution via plugin installation race

Published Sep 8, 2021 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

TOCTOU in the PAN-OS web interface allows remote authenticated users with plugin-upload rights to execute arbitrary code as root. The plugin installer checks an uploaded plugin and later uses it without ensuring that the checked object is unchanged, allowing unsigned code substitution during the race. Administrator access with plugin-upload permission and precise race timing are required; successful exploitation gives the uploaded code root privileges.

CVSS severity7.2
High
EPSS probability0.92%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

TOCTOU in the PAN-OS web interface allows remote authenticated users with plugin-upload rights to execute arbitrary code as root. The plugin installer checks an uploaded plugin and later uses it without ensuring that the checked object is unchanged, allowing unsigned code substitution during the race. Administrator access with plugin-upload permission and precise race timing are required; successful exploitation gives the uploaded code root privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-3054
Published
Sep 8, 2021
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
Palo Alto Networks
Product
PAN-OS
Classifications
CWE-367, T1068
Attack vector
network
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 8, 2021CVE 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

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=10.0 <10.0.7 changes=[{"at":"10.0.7","status":"unaffected"}]
  2. Affected versionversion=10.1 <10.1.2 changes=[{"at":"10.1.2","status":"unaffected"}]
  3. Affected versionversion=8.1 <8.1.20 changes=[{"at":"8.1.20","status":"unaffected"}]
  4. Affected versionversion=9.0 <9.0.14 changes=[{"at":"9.0.14","status":"unaffected"}]
  5. Affected versionversion=9.1 <9.1.11 changes=[{"at":"9.1.11","status":"unaffected"}]

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Palo Alto Networks · PAN-OSversion=10.0 <10.0.7 changes=[{"at":"10.0.7","status":"unaffected"}]; version=10.1 <10.1.2 changes=[{"at":"10.1.2","status":"unaffected"}]; version=8.1 <8.1.20 changes=[{"at":"8.1.20","status":"unaffected"}]; version=9.0 <9.0.14 changes=[{"at":"9.0.14","status":"unaffected"}]; version=9.1 <9.1.11 changes=[{"at":"9.1.11","status":"unaffected"}]

Published CVSS scores

7.2Palo Alto NetworksCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.5NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C
6.6NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-367Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition
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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