CVE-2025-0141

Root or SYSTEM escalation via untrusted search path

Published Jul 9, 2025 · Updated Feb 26, 2026

Incorrect privilege assignment in Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect App allows local users to gain root or SYSTEM on affected desktop releases. Palo Alto Networks identifies an untrusted search path but has not disclosed the executable-loading locus or how attacker-controlled content is selected. A locally authenticated non-administrative account and no special configuration are required, yielding root on macOS or Linux and NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM on Windows.

CVSS severity8.4
High
EPSS probability0.17%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Incorrect privilege assignment in Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect App allows local users to gain root or SYSTEM on affected desktop releases. Palo Alto Networks identifies an untrusted search path but has not disclosed the executable-loading locus or how attacker-controlled content is selected. A locally authenticated non-administrative account and no special configuration are required, yielding root on macOS or Linux and NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM on Windows.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-0141
Published
Jul 9, 2025
Updated
Feb 26, 2026
Vendor
Palo Alto Networks
Product
GlobalProtect App
Classifications
CWE-426, CAPEC-233, T1574.007
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 9, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 26, 2026Record 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=6.0.0
  2. Affected versionversion=6.1.0
  3. Affected versionversion=6.2.0 <6.2.8 changes=[{"at":"6.2.8","status":"unaffected"}]
  4. Affected versionversion=6.2.0 <6.2.8-h2 (6.2.8-c243) changes=[{"at":"6.2.8-h2 (6.2.8-c243)","status":"unaffected"}]
  5. Affected versionversion=6.3.0 <6.3.3-h1 (6.3.3-c650) changes=[{"at":"6.3.3-h1 (6.3.3-c650)","status":"unaffected"}]

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Palo Alto Networks · GlobalProtect Appversion=6.0.0; version=6.1.0; version=6.2.0 <6.2.8 changes=[{"at":"6.2.8","status":"unaffected"}]; version=6.2.0 <6.2.8-h2 (6.2.8-c243) changes=[{"at":"6.2.8-h2 (6.2.8-c243)","status":"unaffected"}]; version=6.3.0 <6.3.3-h1 (6.3.3-c650) changes=[{"at":"6.3.3-h1 (6.3.3-c650)","status":"unaffected"}]

Published CVSS scores

5.7Palo Alto NetworksCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/E:U/AU:N/R:U/V:D/RE:M/U:Amber
8.4Palo Alto NetworksCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:H/SI:H/SA: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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-426Untrusted Search Path
CAPEC-233Privilege Escalation
T1574.007Path Interception by PATH Environment Variable

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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