CVE-2026-0264 PUBLISHED

PAN-OS: Heap-Based Buffer Overflow in DNS Proxy and DNS Server Allows Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution

Assigner: palo_alto
Reserved: 03.11.2025 Published: 13.05.2026 Updated: 14.05.2026

A buffer overflow vulnerability in the DNS proxy and DNS Server features of Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS® Software allows an unauthenticated attacker with network access to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition (all PAN-OS platforms except Cloud NGFW and Prisma Access) or potentially execute arbitrary code by sending specially crafted network traffic (PA-Series hardware only).

Panorama, Cloud NGFW, and Prisma® Access are not impacted by this vulnerability.

Metrics

CVSS 4.0

CVSS Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:L/SI:L/SA:N/E:U/AU:Y/R:U/V:C/RE:H/U:Red
CVSS Score: 7.2

The risk is highest for PA-Series hardware firewalls as there is a potential risk of arbitrary code execution

Exploitability Metrics		Vulnerable System Impact Metrics		Subsequent System Impact Metrics
Attack Vector	Network	Confidentiality	High	Confidentiality	Low
Attack Complexity	High	Integrity	High	Integrity	Low
Attack Requirements	None	Availability	High	Availability	None
Privileges Required	None
User Interaction	None

The risk is highest for PA-Series hardware firewalls as there is a potential risk of arbitrary code execution

CVSS 4.0

CVSS Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U/AU:Y/R:A/V:D/RE:M/U:Amber
CVSS Score: 6.6

The risk is lower for VM-Series firewalls, as the impact is limited to a Denial of Service condition

Exploitability Metrics		Vulnerable System Impact Metrics		Subsequent System Impact Metrics
Attack Vector	Network	Confidentiality	None	Confidentiality	None
Attack Complexity	Low	Integrity	None	Integrity	None
Attack Requirements	None	Availability	High	Availability	None
Privileges Required	None
User Interaction	None

The risk is lower for VM-Series firewalls, as the impact is limited to a Denial of Service condition

CVSS 4.0

Product Status

Vendor	Palo Alto Networks
Product	Cloud NGFW
Versions	Default: unaffected Version All is unaffected

Vendor	Palo Alto Networks
Product	PAN-OS
Versions	Default: unaffected affected from 12.1.0 to 12.1.7, 12.1.4-h5 (excl.) affected from 11.2.0 to 11.2.12, 11.2.10-h6, 11.2.7-h13, 11.2.4-h17 (excl.) affected from 11.1.0 to 11.1.15, 11.1.13-h5, 11.1.10-h25, 11.1.7-h6, 11.1.6-h32, 11.1.4-h33 (excl.) affected from 10.2.0 to 10.2.18-h6, 10.2.16-h7, 10.2.13-h21, 10.2.10-h36, 10.2.7-h34 (excl.)

Vendor	Palo Alto Networks
Product	Prisma Access
Versions	Default: unaffected Version All is unaffected

Exploits

Palo Alto Networks is not aware of any malicious exploitation of this issue.

Credits

Palo Alto Networks thanks an external reporter and our internal security research teams for discovering and reporting this issue. other

References

https://security.paloaltonetworks.com/CVE-2026-0264

Problem Types

CWE-122 Heap-based Buffer Overflow CWE

Impacts

CAPEC-100 Overflow Buffers