CVE-2021-3044: Cortex XSOAR: Unauthorized Usage of the REST API
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 39/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 1.4% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 72.5% of all records.
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. No account or password is required. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- Fixed version: Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR 1271064, 1271065.
- Mentioned 1 time in Turkish national cyber security advisories (siberguvenlik.gov.tr).
Low priority for now. Upgrade to Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR 1271064, 1271065 or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
An improper authorization vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR enables a remote unauthenticated attacker with network access to the Cortex XSOAR server to perform unauthorized actions through the REST API. This issue impacts: Cortex XSOAR 6.1.0 builds later than 1016923 and earlier than 1271064; Cortex XSOAR 6.2.0 builds earlier than 1271065. This issue does not impact Cortex XSOAR 5.5.0, Cortex XSOAR 6.0.0, Cortex XSOAR 6.0.1, or Cortex XSOAR 6.0.2 versions. All Cortex XSOAR instances hosted by Palo Alto Networks are upgraded to resolve this vulnerability. No additional action is required for these instances.
- Published
- Jun 22, 2021
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 1.4% · 72th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-285
Report tools
Action score
39
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 39 / 40 · 9.8 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 1.4%
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- —
- CNA · palo_alto
- 9.8
- NVD has not scored this yet; the score shown is the CNA’s.
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
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Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| paloaltonetworks | cortex xsoar | cpe:2.3:a:paloaltonetworks:cortex_xsoar |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- paloaltonetworks cortex xsoar6.1.0
- paloaltonetworks cortex xsoar6.2.0
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (palo_alto). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR
- 5.5.0 all, 6.0.0 all, 6.0.1 all, 6.0.2 allnot affected
- 1016923 and later · before 6.1.0*affectedfixed in 1271064
- 6.2.0 and later · before 1271065affectedfixed in 1271065
Same product
paloaltonetworks: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2021-3051Cortex XSOAR: Authentication Bypass in SAML Authentication32Monitor
- CVE-2023-0003Cortex XSOAR: Local File Disclosure Vulnerability in the Cortex XSOAR Server26Monitor
- CVE-2022-0020Cortex XSOAR: Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) Vulnerability in Web Interface22Monitor
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2021-3034Mar 10, 2021 · Cortex XSOAR: Secrets for SAML single sign-on (SSO) integration may be logged in system logs20Monitor
- Later →CVE-2021-3049Sep 8, 2021 · Cortex XSOAR: Improper Authorization of Incident Investigations Vulnerability17Monitor
- Later →CVE-2022-0027May 11, 2022 · Cortex XSOAR: Incorrect Authorization Vulnerability When Generating Reports17Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR | 1271064 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR | 1271065 | Vendor (CNA) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
National notice (Türkiye Cybersecurity Directorate / USOM)
Official security notices citing this record; remediation advice is on the agency's page.
- TR-21-0526 · Jun 28, 2021(Dell Güvenlik Zafiyeti)
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-285 · Improper AuthorizationCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
nvd-secondary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
- Accessing Functionality Not Properly Constrained by ACLsCAPEC-1likelihood: High · High
- Cross Zone ScriptingCAPEC-104likelihood: Medium · High
- Directory IndexingCAPEC-127likelihood: High · Medium
- Subverting Environment Variable ValuesCAPEC-13likelihood: High · Very High
- Using Malicious FilesCAPEC-17likelihood: High · Very High
- Manipulating Opaque Client-based Data TokensCAPEC-39likelihood: High · Medium
- Bypassing ATA Password SecurityCAPEC-402
- Buffer Overflow via Symbolic LinksCAPEC-45likelihood: High · High
ATT&CK techniques
- Data from Local SystemT1005
- Query RegistryT1012
- File and Directory DiscoveryT1083
- Access Token Manipulation:Token Impersonation/TheftT1134.001
- Use Alternate Authentication Material:Web Session CookieT1550.004
- Unsecured Credentials: Credentials in RegistryT1552.002
- Impair Defenses:Impair Command History LoggingT1562.003
- Data Manipulation: Transmitted Data ManipulationT1565.002
- Hijack Execution Flow: Executable Installer File Permissions WeaknessT1574.005
- Hijack Execution Flow:Dynamic Linker HijackingT1574.006
- Hijack Execution Flow:Path Interception by PATH Environment VariableT1574.007
- Hijack Execution Flow: ServicesFile Permissions WeaknessT1574.010
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.