RCE in Palo Alto Networks Cloud Ngfw

CVE-2026-0261

Multiple command injection vulnerabilities in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS® software enable an authenticated administrator to bypass system restrictions and run arbitrary commands as a root user. To be able to exploit this issue, the user must have access to the PAN-OS CLI or Web UI. The security risk posed by this issue is significantly minimized when CLI access is restricted to a limited group of administrators and by restricting access to the management web interface to only trusted internal IP addresses according to our recommended best practice deployment guidelines https://live.paloaltonetworks.com/t5/community-blogs/tips-amp-tricks-how-to-secure-the-management-access-of-your-palo/ba-p/464431 . This issue is applicable to PAN-OS software on PA-Series and VM-Series firewalls and on Panorama (virtual and M-Series). Cloud NGFW and Prisma Access® are not impacted by these vulnerabilities.

Vulnerability class: Command Injection (OS Command Injection)

EPSS: 0.014 (70.7th percentile) — read the EPSS interpretation.

CVSS v3 metric

CVSS v3 base score 7.2 (High). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.

Affected products

Weakness classification (CWE)

References

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-0261?
CVE-2026-0261 is a high-severity vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks Cloud Ngfw, classified under OS Command Injection. CVSS score: 7.2/10. Published 2026-05-13.
How severe is CVE-2026-0261?
High severity. CVSS v3 base score is 7.2 out of 10.