Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessGain local user account on Linux endpoint
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DeliveryIdentify Prisma Access Agent VPN enforcement mechanism
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ExploitManipulate routing or agent state to create tunnel bypass
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ExecutionRoute sensitive traffic outside VPN tunnel
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ImpactIntercept or exfiltrate data evading VPN-based inspection
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A01:2025 - Broken Access Control
ASVS 5.0
V8 - Authorization Alternate path protection
|
| Exploitation Conditions | Exploitation requires local access to a Linux endpoint with Prisma Access Agent installed and an active or configured VPN session, with the attacker holding at minimum a standard (low-privileged) user account on the system. The vulnerability is Linux-platform-specific - the same agent software on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and ChromeOS is not affected, implying the bypass depends on Linux-specific networking or agent implementation behavior. No special non-default configuration is required based on the AT:N (no attack requirements) in the CVSS 4.0 vector, suggesting this is exploitable against standard Prisma Access Agent Linux deployments. Exploitation is strictly limited by the requirement for prior local access; remote unauthenticated exploitation is not possible. The E:U exploit maturity and AU:N (not automatable) supplemental ratings confirm this is not suitable for mass exploitation and is constrained to targeted insider or post-compromise scenarios. |
| Impact | The CVSS 4.0 score of 4.4 (Medium) is appropriate given the local-only attack vector and low-privilege requirement. AV:L and PR:L together mean this is not remotely exploitable - an attacker must already have a foothold on the targeted Linux endpoint, making this primarily an insider threat or post-compromise escalation scenario. The confidentiality impact VC:H is justified because bypassing the VPN tunnel can expose sensitive traffic - internal API calls, credentials, proprietary data - to interception on untrusted networks, defeating the primary purpose of the VPN deployment. The supplemental CVSS 4.0 metrics provide additional signal: E:U (Unexploited) confirms no known active exploitation, AU:N (not automatable) means mass exploitation is not feasible, and the Urgency rating of Amber reflects a real but non-critical priority. The vulnerability is absent from the CISA KEV catalog, consistent with E:U. EPSS data was not included in the provided intelligence and cannot be assessed. Organizations running Linux-based Prisma Access Agent deployments with high-sensitivity workloads - particularly where VPN bypass would evade DLP, logging, or network threat inspection - face the highest material risk. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | A low-privileged user with a local account on a Linux endpoint running Prisma Access Agent manipulates the system's routing state or interacts with the agent's enforcement mechanism to cause network traffic to egress outside the VPN tunnel. The attacker then transmits or intercepts sensitive data - such as internal service credentials or proprietary communications - over an untrusted network path, bypassing VPN-enforced DLP, packet inspection, and audit logging controls. No public proof-of-concept exists at time of analysis, so exploitation likely requires specific knowledge of the bypass mechanism and direct local system access. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Jun 10, 2026
Security control bypass in Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access Agent for Linux enables a local, low-privileged attacker to route network traffic outside the VPN tunnel, undermining the core data-in-transit protection the agent is designed to enforce. Only Linux deployments are affected - Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and ChromeOS are explicitly not impacted. No public exploit code exists at time of analysis and this vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog, but the CVSS 4.0 confidentiality impact is rated High due to the exposure of unencrypted traffic to untrusted network paths.
RemediationAI
The primary remediation is to apply the vendor-released patch per the Palo Alto Networks security advisory at https://security.paloaltonetworks.com/CVE-2026-0268. A patch is available per the vendor advisory; however, the exact fixed version of Prisma Access Agent for Linux was not independently confirmed from the provided intelligence, and administrators must consult the advisory directly for the specific target version. As a compensating control pending patching, organizations can enforce mandatory network-layer egress restrictions via perimeter or host-based firewall rules that block direct internet traffic from Linux endpoints not transiting the Prisma Access tunnel - note this may disrupt legitimate local network access and requires careful scoping to avoid operational impact. Additionally, restricting local user privilege escalation paths on Linux endpoints reduces the attacker's ability to interact with routing configuration. Deploying EDR tooling with rules alerting on anomalous routing table modifications (e.g., ip route changes by non-root users) provides a detective control. None of these compensating controls are substitutes for patching.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 1 package in euvd
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Technical ContextAI · show details
CWE-424 (Improper Protection of Alternate Path) describes a class of flaw where a security enforcement mechanism fails to protect an alternate execution or routing path, allowing an adversary to circumvent intended controls. In the context of a VPN client agent, this typically manifests as a split-tunnel enforcement failure or a routing manipulation weakness - the agent does not adequately prevent a local user from modifying routing tables, interface bindings, or agent policy state in a way that directs traffic through an unprotected network path. The affected product is identified via CPE as cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:prisma_access_agent on Linux. Prisma Access Agent is the endpoint client of Palo Alto Networks' cloud-delivered SASE platform, responsible for enforcing security policy and routing endpoint traffic through the Prisma Access cloud fabric. The Linux-specific nature of this flaw suggests a platform-specific implementation gap in how the agent enforces tunnel exclusivity on Linux networking primitives versus other supported OSes.
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Severity by source
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U/AU:N/R:U/V:D/RE:M/U:Amber
AV:L and PR:L reflect mandatory local user access; C:H captures VPN bypass exposing plaintext traffic; I:L for routing manipulation; S:U as scope is contained to the local endpoint.
Primary rating from Vendor (palo_alto).
CVSS VectorVendor: palo_alto
Lifecycle Timeline
1DescriptionCVE.org
A security control bypass vulnerability in Prisma Access Agent for Linux allows a local attacker to route network traffic outside the VPN tunnel.
This does not impact Prisma Access Agent on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, or ChromeOS.
Threat Intelligence Overview
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.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Authentication bypass attacks exploit flaws in the verification mechanisms that control access to systems and applications.
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EUVD-2026-36144
GHSA-cxwj-f3w7-6266
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
VulDB
Exploit-DB