#VU53997 Insecure DLL loading in Cortex XDR Agent for Windows - CVE-2021-3041

Vulnerability identifier: #VU53997

Vulnerability risk: Low

CVSSv4.0: 5.9 [CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U/U:Clear]

CVE-ID: CVE-2021-3041

CWE-ID: CWE-427

Exploitation vector: Local

Exploit availability: No

Vulnerable software:
Cortex XDR Agent for Windows
Client/Desktop applications / Antivirus software/Personal firewalls

Vendor: Palo Alto Networks, Inc.

Description

The vulnerability allows a local user to escalate privileges on the system.

The vulnerability exists due to the application loads DLL libraries in an insecure manner. A local user with privileges to create files in the Windows root directory or to manipulate key registry values and execute arbitrary code on the system with SYSTEM privileges.

Mitigation
Install updates from vendor's website.

Vulnerable software versions

Cortex XDR Agent for Windows: 5.0.0 - 5.0.10, 6.1.0 - 6.1.7, 7.0.0 - 7.0.3, 7.1.0 - 7.1.2, 7.2.0 - 7.2.2

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External links
https://security.paloaltonetworks.com/CVE-2021-3041

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Q & A

Can this vulnerability be exploited remotely?

No. This vulnerability can be exploited locally. The attacker should have authentication credentials and successfully authenticate on the system.

Is there known malware, which exploits this vulnerability?

No. We are not aware of malware exploiting this vulnerability.