title: PAN-OS: Panorama context switch session cookie disclosure
description: A cleartext transmission of sensitive information vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS Panorama that discloses an authenticated PAN-OS administrator's PAN-OS session cookie. When an administrator issues a context switch request into a managed firewall with an affected PAN-OS Panorama version, their PAN-OS session cookie is transmitted over cleartext to the firewall. An attacker with the ability to intercept this network traffic between the firewall and Panorama can access the administrator's account and further manipulate devices managed by Panorama. This issue affects: PAN-OS 7.1 versions earlier than 7.1.26; PAN-OS 8.1 versions earlier than 8.1.13; PAN-OS 9.0 versions earlier than 9.0.6; PAN-OS 9.1 versions earlier than 9.1.1; All version of PAN-OS 8.0;
problem types: CWE-319 Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information
affected:
{
product: PAN-OS
vendor: Palo Alto Networks
versions:
status: affected, version: 8.0.*
changes: [at: 9.0.6, status: unaffected], lessThan: 9.0.6, status: affected, version: 9.0, versionType: custom
changes: [at: 7.1.26, status: unaffected], lessThan: 7.1.26, status: affected, version: 7.1, versionType: custom
changes: [at: 8.1.13, status: unaffected], lessThan: 8.1.13, status: affected, version: 8.1, versionType: custom
changes: [at: 9.1.1, status: unaffected], lessThan: 9.1.1, status: affected, version: 9.1, versionType: custom
}
metrics:
cvssV3_1: [
attackComplexity: HIGH
attackVector: NETWORK
availabilityImpact: HIGH
baseScore: 8.3
baseSeverity: HIGH
confidentialityImpact: HIGH
integrityImpact: HIGH
privilegesRequired: NONE
scope: CHANGED
userInteraction: REQUIRED
vectorString: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
version: 3.1
]
solutions: This issue is fixed in PAN-OS 7.1.26, PAN-OS 8.1.13, PAN-OS 9.0.6, PAN-OS 9.1.1, and all later PAN-OS versions.
PAN-OS 8.0 is now end-of-life as of October 31, 2019, and is no longer covered by our Product Security Assurance policies.
workarounds: One possible vulnerability mitigation is to shorten the length of administrator session idle timeout. This reduces the likelihood the exposed administrator’s session cookie is valid at time of attack.