An incorrect privilege management vulnerability in the OPSWAT MetaDefender Endpoint Security SDK used by the Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect™ app on Windows devices allows a locally authenticated non-administrative Windows user to escalate their privileges to NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM. However, execution requires that the local user also successfully exploits a race condition, which makes this vulnerability difficult to exploit.
An incorrect privilege management vulnerability in the OPSWAT MetaDefender Endpoint Security SDK used by the Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect™ app on Windows devices allows a locally authenticated non-administrative Windows user to escalate their privileges to NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM. However, execution requires that the local user also successfully exploits a race condition, which makes this vulnerability difficult to exploit.
This issue is fixed in MetaDefender Endpoint Security SDK 4.3.4451 on Windows, and all later MetaDefender Endpoint Security SDK versions on Windows. To mitigate this issue in the GlobalProtect App on Windows update to one of the listed versions (these versions include the updated MetaDefender Endpoint Security SDK):
Version
Suggested Solution
GlobalProtect App 6.3 on WindowsUpgrade to 6.3.3 or laterGlobalProtect App 6.2 on Windows
Upgrade to 6.2.8 or later
GlobalProtect App 6.1 on Windows
Upgrade to 6.2.8 or later or 6.3.3 or later
GlobalProtect App 6.0 on Windows
Upgrade to 6.2.8 or later or 6.3.3 or later
GlobalProtect App on macOSNot applicableGlobalProtect App on LinuxNot applicableGlobalProtect App on iOSNot applicableGlobalProtect App on AndroidNot applicableGlobalProtect UWP AppNot applicable
Configurations
No special configuration is required to be affected by this issue.
Workarounds
No known workarounds or mitigations exist for this issue.
Exploits
Palo Alto Networks is not aware of any malicious exploitation of this issue.
Credits
finder
Palo Alto Networks thanks Maxime Escourbiac, Michelin CERT, Yassine Bengana, Abicom for Michelin CERT, and Sandro Poppi for discovering and reporting the issue. Palo Alto Networks thanks OPSWAT for remediating this issue in the MetaDefender Endpoint Security SDK.
An incorrect privilege management vulnerability in the OPSWAT MetaDefender Endpoint Security SDK used by the Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect™ app on Windows devices allows a locally authenticated non-administrative Windows user to escalate their privileges to NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM. However, execution requires that the local user also successfully exploits a race condition, which makes this vulnerability difficult to exploit.