Palo Alto PAN-OS Root CLI Command Injection CVE-2026-0261
CVE-2026-0261 Published on May 13, 2026
PAN-OS: Authenticated Admin Command Injection Vulnerability
Multiple command injection vulnerabilities in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS® software enable an authenticated administrator to bypass system restrictions and run arbitrary commands as a root user. To be able to exploit this issue, the user must have access to the PAN-OS CLI or Web UI.
The security risk posed by this issue is significantly minimized when CLI access is restricted to a limited group of administrators and by restricting access to the management web interface 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 these vulnerabilities.
Timeline
Initial publication.
Weakness Type
What is a Shell injection Vulnerability?
The software constructs all or part of an OS command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended OS command when it is sent to a downstream component.
CVE-2026-0261 has been classified to as a Shell injection vulnerability or weakness.
Products Associated with CVE-2026-0261
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Affected Versions
Palo Alto Networks Cloud NGFW:- Version All is unaffected.
- Version 12.1.0 and below 12.1.7, 12.1.4-h5 is affected.
- Version 11.2.0 and below 11.2.12, 11.2.10-h6, 11.2.7-h13, 11.2.4-h17 is affected.
- Version 11.1.0 and below 11.1.15, 11.1.13-h5, 11.1.10-h25, 11.1.7-h6, 11.1.6-h32, 11.1.4-h33 is affected.
- Version 10.2.0 and below 10.2.18-h6, 10.2.16-h7, 10.2.13-h21, 10.2.10-h36, 10.2.7-h34 is affected.
- Version All is unaffected.