Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This PAN-OS flaw lets an administrator who can reach the web management interface execute actions with root privileges. That could enable major firewall configuration changes or persistent device compromise. The supplied evidence does not identify precise vulnerable or fixed PAN-OS releases. Cloud NGFW and Prisma Access are explicitly unaffected.
Executive priority
Treat this as a high-priority remediation because confirmed exploitation can turn existing administrative access into root control of a security gateway. Immediately identify exposed management interfaces, check versions against vendor guidance, and remediate affected appliances. Do not rely on the medium severity label alone.
Technical view
CVE-2024-9474 is a CWE-78 privilege-escalation vulnerability in the PAN-OS web management interface. Exploitation requires high privileges but no user interaction; successful abuse can compromise system integrity with root privileges. Its CVSS 4.0 score is 6.9. Exact affected and remediated release ranges are not established by the supplied bundle.
Likely exposure
Potential exposure is limited to PAN-OS firewalls running a vulnerable release where an attacker has administrator access to the management web interface. Internet-accessible management, excessive administrator access, or stolen administrative credentials increase practical risk. Cloud NGFW and Prisma Access are not impacted. Confirm exact release exposure against Palo Alto Networks guidance.
Exploitation context
CISA lists CVE-2024-9474 in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, supporting active exploitation in the wild. The bundle also references a public exploit repository, although its reliability and prerequisites were not independently established here. High privileges are required according to the CVSS vector.
Researcher notes
The available evidence establishes root-level integrity impact, a high-privilege prerequisite, and KEV status. It does not provide exact vulnerable versions, fixed releases, indicators of compromise, or enough evidence to characterize observed attack chains. The referenced public exploit material should not be assumed reliable without separate validation.
Mitigation direction
- Consult the Palo Alto Networks advisory and install the vendor-designated fixed PAN-OS release.
- Restrict the management web interface to trusted administrative networks and authorized personnel.
- Remove unnecessary PAN-OS administrator accounts and reduce privileges where operationally possible.
- Prioritize systems with internet-accessible or broadly reachable management interfaces.
Validation and detection
- Inventory PAN-OS firewalls and record their exact software releases.
- Compare each release with the affected and fixed versions in the current vendor advisory.
- Confirm management interfaces are not reachable from untrusted networks.
- Review administrator accounts and recent management activity for unauthorized changes.
- Verify Cloud NGFW and Prisma Access assets are excluded from affected-device counts.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-78: Command execution behavior lookup
Command injection weaknesses can lead defenders to review execution techniques and command interpreter telemetry. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupPrivilege behavior lookup
The CVE wording references privilege impact, so privilege escalation and authorization behavior review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2024-9474 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 6.9 (4.0)
- Known Exploited
- Yes
- Published
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/AU:N/R:U/V:C/RE:H/U:Red
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CISA KEV status
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
2 official scoresWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/AU:N/R:U/V:C/RE:H/U:Red——palo_altoCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:H/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/AU:N/R:U/V:C/RE:H/U:Red——palo_altoVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 4.0 score
6.9MediumVector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/AU:N/R:U/V:C/RE:H/U:Red
Base CVSS 4.0 score
5.9MediumVector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:H/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/AU:N/R:U/V:C/RE:H/U:Red
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- Added to KEVCISA-ADP
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities metadata lists this CVE as known exploited.
- ADP timelineCISA-ADP
CVE-2024-9474 added to CISA KEV
- Source timelinepalo_alto
Initial publication
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
- 2024-11-18T00:00:00.000Z: CVE-2024-9474 added to CISA KEV
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://security.paloaltonetworks.com/CVE-2024-9474CVE reference, palo_alto · vendor-advisory
- https://labs.watchtowr.com/pots-and-pans-aka-an-sslvpn-palo-alto-pan-os-cve-2024-0012-and-cve-2024-9474/CVE reference, CISA-ADP
- https://github.com/k4nfr3/CVE-2024-9474CVE reference, CISA-ADP · exploit
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2024-9474CVE reference, CISA-ADP · government-resource
- https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/cve-2024-0012-cve-2024-9474/CVE reference, CVE
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.