CVE-2026-0227
Published: 15 January 2026
Summary
CVE-2026-0227 is a high-severity Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (CWE-754) vulnerability in Paloaltonetworks Pan-Os. Its CVSS base score is 7.5 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Application or System Exploitation (T1499.004); ranked at the 9.8th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
Threat & Defense at a Glance
Threat & Defense Details
Likely Mitigating ControlsAI
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.
Requires detection and response to audit logging failures as an unusual or exceptional condition.
Implements detection of unusual or exceptional conditions followed by safe mode entry, reducing the window for exploitation of unchecked conditions.
Training ensures users perform required checks for unusual or exceptional conditions as part of contingency roles, limiting attacker leverage from skipped validations.
IR testing directly validates checks for unusual or exceptional conditions that could indicate security incidents.
Requires ongoing monitoring of organization-defined metrics and analysis, enabling checks for unusual or exceptional conditions.
Security testing routinely checks for unusual or exceptional inputs/conditions, identifying missing validation steps that flaw remediation then resolves.
Requires detection of unusual conditions followed by a controlled transition to the defined failure state.
MTTF determination forces explicit checks for conditions that precede predictable component failure.
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Direct remote exploitation of software vulnerability to crash/impair firewall availability and force maintenance mode.
NVD Description
A vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS software enables an unauthenticated attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) to the firewall. Repeated attempts to trigger this issue results in the firewall entering into maintenance mode.
Deeper analysisAI
CVE-2026-0227 is a vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS software that enables an unauthenticated attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on the firewall. Repeated attempts to trigger the issue can force the firewall into maintenance mode. The vulnerability is associated with CWE-754 and carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H), indicating high availability impact with no effects on confidentiality or integrity.
An unauthenticated attacker with network access to the affected firewall can exploit this vulnerability remotely with low complexity and no requirement for user interaction or privileges. Successful exploitation disrupts firewall operations, and sustained attacks lead to the device entering maintenance mode, rendering it unavailable for traffic processing.
Mitigation details and patches are available in the vendor advisory at https://security.paloaltonetworks.com/CVE-2026-0227, published on 2026-01-15. Security practitioners should consult this reference for specific remediation steps.
Details
- CWE(s)