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Prisma Access Agent EUVDEUVD-2026-30097

| CVE-2026-0246 MEDIUM
Missing Authorization (CWE-862)
2026-05-13 palo_alto GHSA-mjp7-qvjx-36p7
5.9
CVSS 4.0 · Vendor: palo_alto
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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Access
    Obtain non-admin local account on target system
  2. Delivery
    Access running Prisma Access Agent service interface
  3. Exploit
    Invoke privilege management request without valid authorization
  4. Execution
    Escalate session to root or NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM
  5. Impact
    Execute arbitrary code or exfiltrate sensitive credentials

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A01:2025 - Broken Access Control
ASVS 5.0
V8 - Authorization Authorization checks on every request
MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique across 1 tactic: Privilege Escalation

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Exploitation Conditions

Exploitation requires a locally authenticated, non-administrative OS user account on the target system - the CVSS 4.0 vector (PR:L) confirms low privileges are sufficient, and no interaction from another user is needed (UI:N). The target must be running Prisma Access Agent in a version below 26.2.1 on macOS, Linux, or Windows, with the agent service active (its normal operational state as an endpoint security client). The specific privilege management interface must be reachable by the local non-privileged user, which is expected by design since the agent serves all local users. Key limiting factors: the attacker must have an existing local session - physical presence, RDP, SSH, or equivalent remote shell - as there is no network-facing attack path (AV:L); at least a non-privileged OS account on that specific machine is required; and iOS, Android, and Chrome OS deployments are explicitly immune and cannot be exploited via this vulnerability.

Impact

The CVSS 4.0 base score of 5.9 reflects the local-only attack vector (AV:L), which is the primary risk-limiting factor - remote exploitation over a network is not possible. Attack complexity is low (AC:L) with no attack requirements (AT:N), meaning that once local access is obtained, the privilege escalation step itself is straightforward. EPSS is 0.01% at the 0th percentile, and SSVC confirms exploitation status as 'none' with the vulnerability rated non-automatable, both indicating no observed or anticipated widespread exploitation in the near term. The CVSSv4 exploit maturity of E:U (Unreported) aligns with the absence of any public proof-of-concept. Despite these low exploitation signals, SSVC rates technical impact as 'total,' meaning a successful attack yields full compromise of the vulnerable system's confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Real-world priority is moderate: organizations with shared endpoints, contractor workstations, or environments where non-admin local accounts are broadly provisioned face meaningful insider or post-compromise risk, but this is not a mass-exploitation or opportunistic internet-facing threat.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker who has obtained a standard, non-administrative local account on a macOS, Linux, or Windows endpoint running Prisma Access Agent prior to 26.2.1 - whether through phishing, credential theft, or as an insider - calls the agent's privilege management interface without supplying or passing any authorization check, exploiting the CWE-862 flaw to have the privileged agent process elevate the attacker's session to root or NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM. With full system privileges, the attacker harvests stored credentials, installs persistent malware, or uses the compromised endpoint as a pivot point for lateral movement within the enterprise network. No public proof-of-concept has been reported at time of analysis.

This Month Plan within 30 days. Why: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9).
Patch available 0.0% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Jun 08, 2026

Local privilege escalation in Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access Agent (all versions prior to 26.2.1) allows any locally authenticated non-administrative user to elevate to root on macOS and Linux, or NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM on Windows, by exploiting a flawed privilege management mechanism. Successful exploitation grants full control of the affected endpoint, enabling arbitrary code execution and unauthorized access to data restricted to privileged accounts. No public exploit exists and the vulnerability is absent from CISA KEV; however, SSVC rates technical impact as total, making patching a meaningful priority for multi-user and enterprise endpoint environments.

RemediationAI

Upgrade Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access Agent to version 26.2.1 or later, which contains the vendor-released fix; the exact fix version is confirmed via EUVD-2026-30097 affected version range ('Prisma Access Agent 0 < 26.2.1') and the vendor advisory at https://security.paloaltonetworks.com/CVE-2026-0246. If immediate patching is not operationally feasible, reduce the attack surface by auditing and minimizing the number of non-administrative local user accounts on systems running the agent - this does not eliminate the vulnerability but shrinks the pool of potential local exploiters. Enabling endpoint detection rules for unexpected privilege escalation events (e.g., processes acquiring root or SYSTEM authority from non-privileged parent processes) can surface exploitation attempts. No action is required for Prisma Access Agent deployments on iOS, Android, or Chrome OS.

Affected VersionsENISA

Prisma Access Agent 0 <26.2.1

Affected Packages

euvd prisma_access_agent fix: 26.2.1

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 1 package in euvd

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

The root cause is CWE-862 (Missing Authorization), where the Prisma Access Agent's privilege management subsystem fails to enforce proper authorization before elevating a requesting user's privileges. The agent operates as a privileged system service on macOS, Linux, and Windows to enforce enterprise network security policies, and its elevated runtime context is what makes a missing authorization check dangerous - an unprivileged caller can abuse a privileged service endpoint without the system verifying they are entitled to do so. CPE data (cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:prisma_access_agent:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*) confirms all agent versions prior to 26.2.1 across those three platforms are affected. The CVSS 4.0 vector (AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N) indicates no special attack prerequisites beyond a low-privilege local account - consistent with an unauthenticated or improperly guarded IPC call, privilege API, or inter-process communication channel exposed by the running agent service.

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Severity by source

Vendor (palo_alto) PRIMARY 5.9 MEDIUM
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/AU:N/R:U/V:D/RE:M/U:Amber

Primary rating from Vendor (palo_alto) · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorVendor: palo_alto

Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Attack Requirements
None
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Vulnerable system: Confidentiality
High
Vulnerable system: Integrity
High
Vulnerable system: Availability
High
Subsequent system: Confidentiality
None
Subsequent system: Integrity
None
Subsequent system: Availability
None

Lifecycle Timeline

3
Patch available
May 13, 2026 - 20:02 EUVD
CVSS changed
May 13, 2026 - 19:22 NVD
5.9 (MEDIUM)
CVE Published
May 13, 2026 - 18:51 nvd
MEDIUM 5.9

DescriptionCVE.org

A vulnerability with a privilege management mechanism in the Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access Agent® enables a locally authenticated non-administrative user to escalate their privileges to root on macOS and Linux or NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM on Windows. This allows the user to execute arbitrary code and read sensitive information otherwise accessible only to privileged accounts.

The Prisma Access Agent on iOS, Android and Chrome OS are not affected.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.0%
Top 100% exploitable
Data Quality
6 sources
Confidence: High

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity MEDIUM
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.0%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Defer
Exploitation
None
System Exposure· derived
Small
Automatable
No
Human Impact· derived
Medium
Technical Impact
Total

Priority Score

30
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +30
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Authentication bypass attacks exploit flaws in the verification mechanisms that control access to systems and applications.

Remote Code Execution represents the critical moment when an attacker successfully runs arbitrary code on a target system without physical access.

CVE-2026-0248 MEDIUM
6.2 May 13

Improper certificate validation in Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access Agent versions below 26.2.1 on Android and Chrome OS

CVE-2026-0294 MEDIUM
6.0 Aug 13

Privilege escalation via an uncontrolled search path (CWE-427) in Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access Agent on Windows and

CVE-2026-0271 MEDIUM
5.9 Jun 10

Privilege escalation in Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access Agent on Linux allows a locally authenticated low-privileged us

CVE-2026-0247 MEDIUM
5.9 May 13

Authorization bypass in Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access Agent's Endpoint DLP component permits a locally authenticated

CVE-2026-0278 MEDIUM
5.8 Jul 09

Multiple protection mechanism failures in the Data Loss Prevention (DLP) component of Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access A

CVE-2026-0306 MEDIUM
5.8 Sep 10

DLP policy enforcement bypass in Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access Agent on Windows allows a low-privileged local user to

CVE-2026-0277 MEDIUM
5.7 Jul 09

Improper certificate validation in the Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access Agent for iOS exposes VPN tunnel traffic to inte

CVE-2026-0293 MEDIUM
5.6 Aug 13

Anti-tamper protection bypass in Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access Agent on Windows allows a local administrator to gain

CVE-2026-0268 MEDIUM
4.4 Jun 10

Security control bypass in Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access Agent for Linux enables a local, low-privileged attacker to

CVE-2026-0305 MEDIUM
4.3 Sep 10

Information disclosure in the Palo Alto Networks Prisma® Access Agent on Linux allows local low-privileged users to read

CVE-2026-0245 MEDIUM
4.3 May 13

Prisma Access Agent on Windows and macOS exposes sensitive configuration data and credentials to local low-privileged us

CVE-2026-0292 LOW
2.1 Aug 13

Authentication bypass in the Windows network driver of Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access Agent allows a local administrat

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