We review vendors based on rigorous testing and research but also take into account your feedback and our affiliate commission with providers. Some providers are owned by our parent company.
Learn more
vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.
Advertising Disclosure

vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

Palo Alto’s PAN-OS Critical Bug Leaves Companies at Risk

Palo Alto’s PAN-OS Critical Bug Leaves Companies at Risk
Author Image Husain Parvez
Husain Parvez Published on 19th April 2024 Cybersecurity Researcher

A critical bug in Palo Alto Networks' PAN-OS software, specifically affecting its GlobalProtect feature, has set the cybersecurity world on alert. Identified as CVE-2024-3400, this zero-day flaw was first spotted by Volexity on April 10, and it can be used by attackers to execute arbitrary code with root privileges without authentication on affected firewalls.

“Volexity received alerts regarding suspect network traffic emanating from the customer’s firewall,” the company explained, detailing how this led them to uncover the exploit actively being used in the wild. The vulnerability impacts numerous organizations worldwide, with TechCrunch reporting that over 156,000 Palo Alto firewall devices connected to the internet might be vulnerable.

The severity of the situation was made evident by Palo Alto Networks themselves, as they issued an urgent message to customers to patch their systems, stating, “We are aware of an increasing number of attacks that leverage the exploitation of this vulnerability.”

Initially, Palo Alto Networks suggested disabling telemetry to mitigate this vulnerability, but then later walked back on this statement, revealing that this action didn’t prevent exploitation.

Despite the initial confusion, Palo Alto Networks swiftly responded with a series of hotfixes. The company stated that "This issue is fixed in PAN-OS 10.2.9-h1, PAN-OS 11.0.4-h1, PAN-OS 11.1.2-h3, and in all later PAN-OS versions." They also provided further mitigation steps, offering Threat Protection IDs that could block attacks using this vulnerability.

The CVE-2024-3400 exploit has once again revealed the danger of vulnerabilities that exist in critical network infrastructure like firewalls. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of maintaining up-to-date systems and the constant vigilance required in the digital age. In a recent study by Palo Alto, 1 in 4 industrial operations have been disrupted by cyberattacks, showcasing the crucial need for improved security measures.

About the Author

Husain Parvez is a Cybersecurity Researcher and News Writer at vpnMentor, focusing on VPN reviews, detailed how-to guides, and hands-on tutorials. Husain is also a part of the vpnMentor Cybersecurity News bulletin and loves covering the latest events in cyberspace and data privacy.