CVE-2020-2044: PAN-OS: Passwords may be logged in clear text while storing operational command (op command) history

Severity: low (CVSS 3.3 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.7% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2020-09-09 · updated 2026-06-17
Weakness: CWE-532

Description

An information exposure through log file vulnerability where an administrator's password or other sensitive information may be logged in cleartext while using the CLI in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS software. The opcmdhistory.log file was introduced to track operational command (op-command) usage but did not mask all sensitive information. The opcmdhistory.log file is removed in PAN-OS 9.1 and later PAN-OS versions. Command usage is recorded, instead, in the req_stats.log file in PAN-OS 9.1 and later PAN-OS versions. This issue impacts: PAN-OS 8.1 versions earlier than PAN-OS 8.1.16; PAN-OS 9.0 versions earlier than PAN-OS 9.0.10; PAN-OS 9.1 versions earlier than PAN-OS 9.1.3.

Affected products

Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS: from 8.0.0 through 8.0.20; from 8.1.0 before 8.1.16; from 9.0.0 before 9.0.10; from 9.1.0 before 9.1.3 — fixed in 8.1.16, 9.0.10, 9.1.3
Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS: from 8.1 before 8.1.16; from 9.0 before 9.0.10; from 9.1 before 9.1.3; 8.0.* — fixed in 8.1.16, 9.0.10, 9.1.3

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS 8.1.16, 9.0.10, 9.1.3; Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS 8.1.16, 9.0.10, 9.1.3. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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