CVE-2025-0108 - Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS Authentication Bypass

Published: July 2024
*Exclusively written for infosec professionals and admins by [Your Name]*

Overview

A serious flaw, CVE-2025-0108, has been disclosed in Palo Alto Networks' PAN-OS—a platform that runs many of their next-generation firewalls. This vulnerability allows an attacker with network access to the management web interface to bypass authentication and access certain restricted PHP scripts. While it doesn’t allow full remote code execution (RCE), it could still compromise the integrity and confidentiality of your firewall’s management system.

In this post, we’ll break down the vulnerability, examine simple proof-of-concept (PoC) code, explore actual exploitation steps, and, importantly, provide actionable advice to prevent exposure.

What is CVE-2025-0108?

CVE-2025-0108 [official advisory link, if available] is an authentication bypass vulnerability in PAN-OS. The bug specifically impacts the management web interface—the administrative GUI used to configure and manage Palo Alto firewalls. An attacker can exploit it to invoke a handful of internal PHP scripts *without logging in*. Although attackers can’t execute arbitrary commands, they can gather sensitive data or make unwanted changes, risking both the *vision* and *control* of your firewall.

Impact: Integrity and confidentiality of PAN-OS management

Reference: Tips & Tricks: How to Secure the Management Access of Your Palo Alto Networks Firewall (Palo Alto Networks)

How Does the Exploit Work?

This vulnerability arises because certain outdated or forgotten PHP scripts on the management interface fail to validate user authentication. So, if you know the direct URL path to these scripts, you can call them directly—even without being authenticated!

Let’s look at a simulated attack path

1. Reconnaissance: The attacker needs to identify PAN-OS instances with management ports exposed on the internet or accessible from their network.
2. Access to Management GUI: By default, this is often on port 443 (HTTPS), sometimes port 80 (HTTP).
3. Direct PHP Invocation: By sending HTTP requests directly to specific PHP files, the attacker skips login and abuses the exposed functionality.

Exploitation Example (Proof-of-Concept)

Let’s suppose the vulnerable script is /api/secret_dump.php (as a placeholder).
Note: In a real scenario, the path and script names would be found through enumeration or released advisories.

Here’s a simple Python exploit using the widely available requests library

import requests

# Replace with your target's management interface IP or hostname
TARGET = "https://firewall.example.com";  # or https://x.x.x.x

# The vulnerable script path (example only!)
VULN_PATH = "/php_scripts/private/status.php"

# Construct the full URL
url = TARGET + VULN_PATH

# Send direct GET request (no authentication required!)
r = requests.get(url, verify=False)  # May need verify=False for self-signed certs

print("HTTP Status:", r.status_code)
print("Returned Data:")
print(r.text)

- If the management GUI is exposed and the script is still accessible, you'll receive sensitive status information—even if you were *never* logged in.

Note: Replace /php_scripts/private/status.php with the correct script discovered by enumeration or through advisories.

Access sensitive configuration files

- Dump system/user information

Change certain settings or trigger system actions via exposed scripts

This could escalate into further attacks, such as configuration theft, user mapping, or even partial denial-of-service.

Immediate Action: Restrict Management Interface

Do not expose the management GUI (HTTPS management port) to the public internet! Ideally, it should only be accessible from a hardened management VLAN or IP range.

- How-to: Follow Palo Alto Networks' best practices

Quick Checks:

- Confirm HTTPS/HTTP/SSH management ports are only listening on internal addresses

Patch Promptly

As of the last update, Palo Alto Networks typically provides hotfixes or updates for critical issues. Monitor the Palo Alto Networks Security Advisories and update immediately for your version of PAN-OS.

Monitor logs for suspicious direct script access patterns

- Network segmentation: Only allow access from jump hosts or trusted IPs/VPNs

Example with nmap

nmap -p 80,443,22 <internal-range>

Conclusion

*CVE-2025-0108* underscores the risk of exposing management interfaces and the ongoing importance of defense-in-depth. Even powerful appliances like Palo Alto firewalls can be at risk from simple mistakes or forgotten legacy scripts.

Stay ahead:
Regularly monitor for vulnerabilities, restrict administrative access, and keep your appliances patched using vendor best practices.

References

- Tips & Tricks: How to Secure the Management Access of Your Palo Alto Networks Firewall
- Palo Alto Networks Security Advisories

*Protect your management plane, and your security stands much stronger.*

Timeline

Published on: 02/12/2025 21:15:16 UTC
Last modified on: 02/20/2025 03:15:12 UTC