Pan OsOperating system · Paloaltonetworks
CVE-2017-15943
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedThe configuration file import for applications, spyware and vulnerability objects functionality in the web interface in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS before 6.1.19, 7.0.x before 7.0.19, and 7.1.x before 7.1.14 allows remote attackers to conduct server-side request forgery (SSRF) attacks and consequently obtain sensitive information via vectors related to parsing of external entities.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceThis is an XXE (XML External Entity) vulnerability in the PAN-OS web interface where the configuration file import functionality for applications, spyware, and vulnerability objects parses XML with unsafe external entity references. Attackers can exploit this to conduct SSRF attacks, making the server initiate arbitrary HTTP requests to internal systems and exfiltrate sensitive data.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
Pan OsOperating system
< 6.1.19>= 7.0.0, < 7.0.19>= 7.1.0, < 7.1.14CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- Low
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Determine PAN-OS version via CLIRun the command `show system info` or `show version` on the PAN-OS device CLIAffected if The displayed version is below 6.1.19, OR is 7.0.x below 7.0.19, OR is 7.1.x below 7.1.14
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Determine PAN-OS version via web interfaceLog into the web management interface, navigate to Device > Setup > Operations, and click 'Show System Info'Affected if The displayed version falls within any of the affected ranges listed above
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Confirm web management interface is accessibleVerify that the PAN-OS web interface (HTTPS on port 443) is reachable from network segments where untrusted users could operateAffected if The web management interface is exposed to untrusted networks (this condition increases exploitability but the version check above is the primary determinant)
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Identify if configuration import feature is in useCheck Device > Virtual Systems or Policy > Objects for configurations related to applications, spyware, or vulnerability object importsAffected if The feature exists in all affected versions regardless of whether it is actively used; version is the definitive factor
A system is affected if PAN-OS version is below 6.1.19, or between 7.0.0-7.0.18, or between 7.1.0-7.1.13.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor data6.1.197.0.197.1.14
Upgrade PAN-OS to version 6.1.19 or later (7.0.x branch to 7.0.19+, 7.1.x branch to 7.1.14+) to patch the XXE/SSRF vulnerability. Additionally, restrict access to the web management interface to trusted admin networks only.
Fix this in Pan Os
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,800.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2017-15943 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2017-15943 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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