CVE-2026-0251 - Vulnerability Details

- GlobalProtect App: Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerabilities

Description

Multiple local privilege escalation vulnerabilities in the Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect™ app allow a local user to escalate their privileges to NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM on Windows and root on macOS and Linux. This enables a non-administrative user to execute arbitrary commands with administrative privileges.

The GlobalProtect app on iOS, Android, Chrome OS and GlobalProtect UWP app are not affected.

Published: 2026-05-13

Score: 5.9 Medium

EPSS: < 1% Very Low

KEV: No

Impact:

Action:

Analysis

Impact

The vulnerabilities are local privilege escalation weaknesses in the GlobalProtect application, classified as CWE‑426, that let a non‑administrative user gain full NT AUTHORITY\\SYSTEM on Windows or root on macOS and Linux. Upon elevation the user can run arbitrary commands with administrative privileges, potentially compromising the entire host.

Affected Systems

Affected products are Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect App for Windows, macOS and Linux. Versions 6.0.0 through 6.0.12, 6.2.0 through 6.2.8‑h9, and 6.3.0 through 6.3.3‑h8 on those operating systems are vulnerable. The Android, Chrome OS, iOS and UWP versions are not affected.

Risk and Exploitability

The CVSS score of 5.9 indicates a moderate severity. No exploit probability data is available and the vulnerability is not in CISA’s KEV catalog. The likely attack vector is local access; a user with limited privileges on the machine must install or run the GlobalProtect client to exploit the flaw.

Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).

Vendor Product Default status Versions

Palo Alto Networks

GlobalProtect App

unaffected

Version	Status	Constraints
`6.3.0`	affected	< 6.3.3-h9 (6.3.3-999)
`6.2.0`	affected	< 6.2.8-h10 (6.2.8-948)
`6.0.0`	affected	< 6.0.13

Palo Alto Networks

GlobalProtect App

unaffected

Version	Status	Constraints
`6.3.0`	affected	< 6.3.3-h9 (6.3.3-999)
`6.2.0`	affected	< 6.2.8-h10 (6.2.8-948)
`6.0.0`	affected	< 6.0.13

Palo Alto Networks

GlobalProtect App

unaffected

Version	Status	Constraints
`6.3.0`	affected	< 6.3.3-h2 (6.3.3-42)
`6.0.0`	affected	< 6.0.11

Palo Alto Networks

Global Protect App

unaffected

Version	Status	Constraints
`All`	unaffected	—

No data.

Vendor Product Confidence Versions

Palo Alto Networks

Globalprotect App

95%

Version	Status	Scheme	Platform
`[6.3.0,6.3.3-h9)`	affected	semver	['windows']
`[6.2.0,6.2.8-h10)`	affected	semver	['windows']
`[6.0.0,6.0.13)`	affected	semver	['windows']

Palo Alto Networks

Globalprotect App

95%

Version	Status	Scheme	Platform
`[6.3.0,6.3.3-h9)`	affected	semver	['macos']
`[6.2.0,6.2.8-h10)`	affected	semver	['macos']
`[6.0.0,6.0.13)`	affected	semver	['macos']

Palo Alto Networks

Globalprotect App

95%

Version	Status	Scheme	Platform
`[6.3.0,6.3.3-h2)`	affected	semver	['linux']
`[6.0.0,6.0.11)`	affected	semver	['linux']

Palo Alto Networks

Globalprotect App

95%

Version	Status	Scheme	Platform
`[0,*]`	unaffected	generic	['android', 'chromeos', 'ios', 'uwp']

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Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

OpenCVE Recommended Actions

Upgrade the Windows GlobalProtect client to the latest supported version (at minimum 6.0.13 for the 6.0 series, 6.2.8‑h10 for the 6.2 series, or 6.3.3‑h9 for the 6.3 series).
Upgrade the macOS GlobalProtect client to the latest supported version (at minimum 6.0.13 for the 6.0 series, 6.2.8‑h10 for the 6.2 series, or 6.3.3‑h9 for the 6.3 series).
Upgrade the Linux GlobalProtect client 6.0 series to at least version 6.0.11.
Upgrade the Linux GlobalProtect client 6.2 series to at least version 6.3.3-h2.
Upgrade the Linux GlobalProtect client 6.3 series to at least version 6.3.3-h2.

Generated by OpenCVE AI on May 13, 2026 at 20:36 UTC.

Tracking

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Advisories

No advisories yet.

Attack Vector Local

Attack Complexity Low

Privileges Required Low

Attack Requirements None

User Interaction None

Vulnerable System Confidentiality Impact High

Vulnerable System Integrity Impact High

Vulnerable System Availability Impact High

Subsequent System Confidentiality Impact None

Subsequent System Integrity Impact None

Subsequent System Availability Impact None

No CVSS v3.1

No CVSS v3.0

No CVSS v2

This CVE is not in the KEV list.

The EPSS score is 0.00007.

Exploitation none

Automatable no

Technical Impact total

References

Link	Providers
https://security.paloaltonetworks.com/CVE-2026-0251

History

Wed, 13 May 2026 19:30:00 +0000

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
Metrics		ssvc `{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}`

Wed, 13 May 2026 18:30:00 +0000

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
Description		Multiple local privilege escalation vulnerabilities in the Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect™ app allow a local user to escalate their privileges to NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM on Windows and root on macOS and Linux. This enables a non-administrative user to execute arbitrary commands with administrative privileges. The GlobalProtect app on iOS, Android, Chrome OS and GlobalProtect UWP app are not affected.
Title		GlobalProtect App: Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerabilities
First Time appeared		Palo Alto Networks Palo Alto Networks globalprotect App
Weaknesses		CWE-426
CPEs		cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app::::::Linux::* cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app::::::Windows::* cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app::::::macOS::* cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.0:::::Linux:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.0:::::Windows:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.0:::::macOS:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.10:::::Linux:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.10:::::Windows:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.10:::::macOS:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.11:::::Linux:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.11:::::Windows:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.11:::::macOS:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.12:::::Linux:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.12:::::Windows:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.12:::::macOS:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.1:::::Linux:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.1:::::Windows:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.1:::::macOS:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.2:::::Linux:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.2:::::Windows:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.2:::::macOS:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.3:::::Linux:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.3:::::Windows:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.3:::::macOS:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.4:::::Linux:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.4:::::Windows:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.4:::::macOS:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.5:::::Linux:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.5:::::Windows:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.5:::::macOS:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.6:::::Linux:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.6:::::Windows:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.6:::::macOS:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.7:::::Linux:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.7:::::Windows:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.7:::::macOS:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.8:::::Linux:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.8:::::Windows:: cpe:2.3:a:palo_alto_networks:globalprotect_app:6.0.8:::::macOS::
Vendors & Products		Palo Alto Networks Palo Alto Networks globalprotect App
References		https://security.paloaltonetworks.com/CVE-2026-0251
Metrics		cvssV4_0 `{'score': 5.9, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U/AU:N/R:U/V:D/RE:M/U:Amber'}`

Subscriptions

Palo Alto Networks Globalprotect App

MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: palo_alto

Published: 2026-05-13T18:20:01.156Z

Updated: 2026-05-14T03:56:34.668Z

Reserved: 2025-11-03T20:44:11.930Z

Link: CVE-2026-0251

Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-05-13T18:55:58.045Z

NVD

Status : Awaiting Analysis

Published: 2026-05-13T19:16:59.470

Modified: 2026-05-14T16:21:23.190

Link: CVE-2026-0251

Redhat

No data.

OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-05-13T20:45:04Z

Weaknesses

CWE-426

Impact

Affected Systems

Risk and Exploitability

Tracking

Attack Vector Local

Attack Complexity Low

Privileges Required Low

Attack Requirements None

User Interaction None

Vulnerable System Confidentiality Impact High

Vulnerable System Integrity Impact High

Vulnerable System Availability Impact High

Subsequent System Confidentiality Impact None

Subsequent System Integrity Impact None

Subsequent System Availability Impact None

Exploitation none

Automatable no

Technical Impact total

Subscriptions

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