CVE-2021-3042 HIGH

CVE-2021-3042: Cortex XDR Agent: Improper Control of User-Controlled File Leads to Local Privilege Escalation

Vendor Palo Alto Networks
Product Cortex XDR Agent
Weakness CWE-427
Published July 15, 2021
Last update September 17, 2024

CVSS base score

7.8/10
Attack vector Local
Attack complexity Low
Privileges required Low
User interaction None
Confidentiality High
Integrity High

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

What the vulnerability does

01Description

A local privilege escalation (PE) vulnerability exists in the Palo Alto Networks Cortex XDR agent on Windows platforms that enables an authenticated local Windows user to execute programs with SYSTEM privileges. Exploiting this vulnerability requires the user to have file creation privilege in the Windows root directory (such as C:\). This issue impacts: All versions of Cortex XDR agent 6.1 without content update 181 or a later version; All versions of Cortex XDR agent 7.2 without content update 181 or a later version; All versions of Cortex XDR agent 7.3 without content update 181 or a later version. Cortex XDR agent 5.0 versions are not impacted by this issue. Content updates are required to resolve this issue and are automatically applied for the agent.

Key dates

02Disclosure timeline

July 15, 2021 CVE published
September 17, 2024 Record updated