Palo Alto Networks fixes critical flaw (CVE-2021-3044) in Cortex XSOAR

Palo Alto Networks addresses a critical improper authorization vulnerability (CVE-2021-3044) affecting its Cortex XSOAR security orchestration solution, automation and response (SOAR) platform.

Researchers from Palo Alto Networks discovered and addresses a critical improper authorization vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2021-3044, that affects its Cortex XSOAR SOAR platform. The CVE-2021-3044 vulnerability received a CVSS score of 9.8.

A remote, unauthenticated attacker with network access to the Cortex XSOAR server could exploit the vulnerability perform unauthorized actions through the REST API.

“An improper authorization vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR enables a remote unauthenticated attacker with network access to the Cortex XSOAR server to perform unauthorized actions through the REST API.” reads the security advisory published by the security vendor. “This issue is not a remote code execution vulnerability. This issue enables an unauthorized attacker to perform actions on behalf of an active Cortex XSOAR integration, which includes running commands and automations in the Cortex XSOAR War Room.”

This vulnerability impacts:

Cortex XSOAR 6.1.0 builds later than 1016923 and earlier than 1271064;
Cortex XSOAR 6.2.0 builds earlier than 1271065.

Cortex XSOAR 5.5.0, Cortex XSOAR 6.0.0, Cortex XSOAR 6.0.1, or Cortex XSOAR 6.0.2 versions are not impacted.

The security vendor also provides workarounds for this issue, it suggests revoking all active integration API keys to fully mitigate the impact of this issue and restricting network access to the XSOAR server.

Palo Alto Networks is not aware of any attacks exploiting the CVE-2021-3044 vulnerability.

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Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs – hacking, Palo Alto Networks)

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Pierluigi Paganini

Pierluigi Paganini is member of the ENISA (European Union Agency for Network and Information Security) Threat Landscape Stakeholder Group and Cyber G7 Group, he is also a Security Evangelist, Security Analyst and Freelance Writer. Editor-in-Chief at "Cyber Defense Magazine", Pierluigi is a cyber security expert with over 20 years experience in the field, he is Certified Ethical Hacker at EC Council in London. The passion for writing and a strong belief that security is founded on sharing and awareness led Pierluigi to find the security blog "Security Affairs" recently named a Top National Security Resource for US. Pierluigi is a member of the "The Hacker News" team and he is a writer for some major publications in the field such as Cyber War Zone, ICTTF, Infosec Island, Infosec Institute, The Hacker News Magazine and for many other Security magazines. Author of the Books "The Deep Dark Web" and “Digital Virtual Currency and Bitcoin”.