CVE-2020-2040

Name: CVE-2020-2040
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2020-09-09T17:15:25.9+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

CRITICALCVSS 9.8/10EPSS 3.94%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2020-2040 is a critical-severity vulnerability rated 9.8/10 on the CVSS scale. A buffer overflow vulnerability in PAN-OS allows an unauthenticated attacker to disrupt system processes and potentially execute arbitrary code with root privileges by sending a malicious request to the Captive Portal or Multi-Factor Authentication interface. This issue impacts: All versions of PAN-OS 8.0; PAN-OS 8.1 versions earlier than PAN-OS 8.1.15; PAN-OS 9.0 versions earlier than PAN-OS 9.0.9; PAN-OS 9.1 versions earlier than PAN-OS 9.1.3.. EPSS estimates a 3.94% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

A buffer overflow vulnerability in PAN-OS allows an unauthenticated attacker to disrupt system processes and potentially execute arbitrary code with root privileges by sending a malicious request to the Captive Portal or Multi-Factor Authentication interface. This issue impacts: All versions of PAN-OS 8.0; PAN-OS 8.1 versions earlier than PAN-OS 8.1.15; PAN-OS 9.0 versions earlier than PAN-OS 9.0.9; PAN-OS 9.1 versions earlier than PAN-OS 9.1.3.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

9.8/10

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

EPSS Probability

3.94%

89.1th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Paloaltonetworks	Pan-Os	>= 8.0.0, <= 8.0.20
Paloaltonetworks	Pan-Os	>= 8.1.0, < 8.1.15
Paloaltonetworks	Pan-Os	>= 9.0.0, < 9.0.9
Paloaltonetworks	Pan-Os	>= 9.1.0, < 9.1.3

References

https://security.paloaltonetworks.com/CVE-2020-2040Vendor Advisory
https://security.paloaltonetworks.com/CVE-2020-2040Vendor Advisory

Timeline

Published: Sep 9, 2020
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2020-2040?

How severe is CVE-2020-2040?

CVE-2020-2040 has a CVSS score of 9.8/10 (CRITICAL severity). The EPSS model estimates a 3.94% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2020-2040?

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.

Are you affected by CVE-2020-2040?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST