CVE-2024-9466
Published: 09 October 2024
Summary
CVE-2024-9466 is a high-severity Insertion of Sensitive Information into Log File (CWE-532) vulnerability in Paloaltonetworks Expedition. Its CVSS base score is 8.2 (High).
Operationally, ranked in the top 4.4% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
Deeper analysis
Palo Alto Networks Expedition is affected by a cleartext storage of sensitive information vulnerability, identified as CVE-2024-9466 and linked to CWE-532 and CWE-312. The flaw permits an authenticated attacker to access stored firewall usernames, passwords, and API keys that were generated using those credentials. It received a CVSS 4.0 base score of 8.2 under the vector AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:H/SI:N/SA:N.
An attacker who already possesses local authenticated access to the Expedition instance can read the unprotected credential material directly from storage. This exposure can then be leveraged to authenticate to associated firewalls or to abuse the recovered API keys for further operations against managed devices.
The vendor advisory at https://security.paloaltonetworks.com/PAN-SA-2024-0010 addresses the issue, while https://www.horizon3.ai/attack-research/palo-alto-expedition-from-n-day-to-full-compromise/ provides additional technical context on exploitation paths. The EPSS probability currently stands at 0.2012 with a recorded peak of 0.2101.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2024-49958
Vulnerability details
A cleartext storage of sensitive information vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks Expedition allows an authenticated attacker to reveal firewall usernames, passwords, and API keys generated using those credentials.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Data action mapping can detect storage actions that leave sensitive information in cleartext.
Reduces cleartext storage of sensitive data when OPSEC identifies and mandates protection of key information artifacts.
Training on secure data handling discourages cleartext storage of sensitive information.
Procedures mandate excluding sensitive data from logs to prevent unauthorized exposure via audit records.
Identifies insertion of sensitive data into logs, allowing detection of unauthorized disclosure.
Cross-organizational coordination enables agreement on what data to include in audit logs, directly reducing insertion of sensitive information.
Configuration policies can mandate secure storage methods to avoid cleartext storage of sensitive information.
The process of identifying and eradicating spilled information applies directly to sensitive data inserted into log files.