How severe is CVE-2020-1998?

CVE-2020-1998 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.4, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity low, and availability none.

Is CVE-2020-1998 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (55th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-1998?

CVE-2020-1998 affects Paloaltonetworks Pan-os. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-1998?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2020-1998 published?

CVE-2020-1998 was published on 2020-05-13 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-1998

CVE-2020-1998 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Paloaltonetworks Pan-os with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.4. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-863.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.4)
CVSS v2: 6.5
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (55th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-863
Affected product: Paloaltonetworks Pan-os
Published: 2020-05-13
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

An improper authorization vulnerability in PAN-OS that mistakenly uses the permissions of local linux users instead of the intended SAML permissions of the account when the username is shared for the purposes of SSO authentication. This can result in authentication bypass and unintended resource access for the user. This issue affects: PAN-OS 7.1 versions earlier than 7.1.26; PAN-OS 8.1 versions earlier than 8.1.13; PAN-OS 9.0 versions earlier than 9.0.6; PAN-OS 9.1 versions earlier than 9.1.1; All versions of PAN-OS 8.0.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-1998?: An improper authorization vulnerability in PAN-OS that mistakenly uses the permissions of local linux users instead of the intended SAML permissions of the account when the username is shared for the purposes of SSO authentication. This can result in authentication bypass and unintended resource access for the user. This issue affects: PAN-OS 7.1 versions earlier than 7.1.26; PAN-OS 8.1 versions earlier than 8.1.13; PAN-OS 9.0 versions earlier than 9.0.6; PAN-OS 9.1 versions earlier than 9.1.1; All versions of PAN-OS 8.0.
How severe is CVE-2020-1998?: CVE-2020-1998 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.4, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity low, and availability none.
Is CVE-2020-1998 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (55th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-1998?: CVE-2020-1998 affects Paloaltonetworks Pan-os. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-1998?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2020-1998 published?: CVE-2020-1998 was published on 2020-05-13 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://security.paloaltonetworks.com/CVE-2020-1998

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:o:paloaltonetworks:pan-os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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