CVE-2020-2004: Under certain circumstances a user's password may be logged in cleartext in the PanGPS.log diagnostic file when logs are collected for troubleshooting...

Description

Under certain circumstances a user's password may be logged in cleartext in the PanGPS.log diagnostic file when logs are collected for troubleshooting on GlobalProtect app (also known as GlobalProtect Agent) for MacOS and Windows. For this issue to occur all of these conditions must be true: (1) 'Save User Credential' option should be set to 'Yes' in the GlobalProtect Portal's Agent configuration, (2) the GlobalProtect user manually selects a gateway, (3) and the logging level is set to 'Dump' while collecting troubleshooting logs. This issue does not affect GlobalProtect app on other platforms (for example iOS/Android/Linux). This issue affects GlobalProtect app 5.0 versions earlier than 5.0.9, GlobalProtect app 5.1 versions earlier than 5.1.2 on Windows or MacOS. Since becoming aware of the issue, Palo Alto Networks has safely deleted all the known GlobalProtectLogs zip files sent by customers with the credentials. We now filter and remove these credentials from all files sent to Customer Support. The GlobalProtectLogs zip files uploaded to Palo Alto Networks systems were only accessible by authorized personnel with valid Palo Alto Networks credentials. We do not have any evidence of malicious access or use of these credentials.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

5.5/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

EPSS Probability

0.30%

21.6th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Paloaltonetworks	Globalprotect	>= 5.0.0, < 5.0.9
Paloaltonetworks	Globalprotect	>= 5.1.0, < 5.1.2

References

https://security.paloaltonetworks.com/CVE-2020-2004Mitigation, Vendor Advisory
https://security.paloaltonetworks.com/CVE-2020-2004Mitigation, Vendor Advisory

Timeline

Published: May 13, 2020
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2020-2004?

Under certain circumstances a user's password may be logged in cleartext in the PanGPS.log diagnostic file when logs are collected for troubleshooting on GlobalProtect app (also known as GlobalProtect Agent) for MacOS and Windows. For this issue to occur all of these conditions must be true: (1) 'Save User Credential' option should be set to 'Yes' in the GlobalProtect Portal's Agent configuration, (2) the GlobalProtect user manually selects a gateway, (3) and the logging level is set to 'Dump' while collecting troubleshooting logs. This issue does not affect GlobalProtect app on other platforms (for example iOS/Android/Linux). This issue affects GlobalProtect app 5.0 versions earlier than 5.0.9, GlobalProtect app 5.1 versions earlier than 5.1.2 on Windows or MacOS. Since becoming aware of the issue, Palo Alto Networks has safely deleted all the known GlobalProtectLogs zip files sent by customers with the credentials. We now filter and remove these credentials from all files sent to Customer Support. The GlobalProtectLogs zip files uploaded to Palo Alto Networks systems were only accessible by authorized personnel with valid Palo Alto Networks credentials. We do not have any evidence of malicious access or use of these credentials.

How severe is CVE-2020-2004?

CVE-2020-2004 has a CVSS score of 5.5/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.30% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2020-2004?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.