Description
An authentication bypass vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS® software enables an unauthenticated attacker with network access to bypass authentication controls when Cloud Authentication Service (CAS) is enabled. The risk is higher if CAS is enabled on the management interface and lower when any other login interfaces are used. The risk of this issue is greatly reduced if you secure access to the management web interface by restricting access to only trusted internal IP addresses according to our recommended best practice deployment guidelines https://live.paloaltonetworks.com/t5/community-blogs/tips-amp-tricks-how-to-secure-the-management-access-of-your-palo/ba-p/464431 . This issue is applicable to PAN-OS software on PA-Series and VM-Series firewalls and on Panorama (virtual and M-Series). Cloud NGFW and Prisma Access® are not impacted by this vulnerability.
The risk is highest when you allow access to the management interface from external IP addresses on the internet.
If you configure restricted access to a jump box that is the only system allowed to access the management interface, you greatly reduce the risk of exploitation because attacks would require privileged access using only those IP addresses.
If authentication profile with CAS is enabled on any other login based interface, the risk is lower.
Problem types
CWE-347 Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature
Product status
All (custom)
12.1.0 (custom) before 12.1.7, 12.1.4-h5
11.2.0 (custom) before 11.2.12, 11.2.10-h6, 11.2.7-h13, 11.2.4-h17
11.1.0 (custom) before 11.1.15, 11.1.13-h5, 11.1.10-h25, 11.1.7-h6, 11.1.6-h32, 11.1.4-h33
10.2.0 (custom) before 10.2.18-h6, 10.2.16-h7, 10.2.13-h21, 10.2.10-h36, 10.2.7-h34
All (custom)
Timeline
| 2026-05-13: | Initial Publication. |
Credits
Palo Alto Networks thanks Harsh Jaiswal from Hacktron AI and our internal security research teams for discovering and reporting this issue.
References
security.paloaltonetworks.com/CVE-2026-0265