Ransomware actors, including the Qilin and INC groups, are actively exploiting a security flaw in Palo Alto Networks' PAN-OS and Prisma Access. This activity targets CVE-2026-0257, an authentication bypass vulnerability with a CVSS score of 7.8.
The flaw enables malicious actors to establish unauthorized VPN connections. Palo Alto Networks patched this vulnerability in May 2026, but exploitation continues to be observed.
The company has disclosed that it is continuing to observe exploitation of the now-patched security flaw impacting its products by ransomware actors.
By the numbers
- CVSS score
- 7.8
Sources and references
Original report
Qilin and INC Ransomware Groups Exploit Palo Alto Networks Flaw to Bypass MFA
The Hacker News
Read on The Hacker News (opens in a new tab)Ref 00MK2J7I
Cite this
APA
Interestana AI Editorial. (2026, October 20). Ransomware Groups Exploit Palo Alto Networks MFA Flaw. Interestana. https://interestana.com/articles/qilin-and-inc-ransomware-groups-exploit-palo-alto-networks-flaw-to-bypass-mfa-00mk2j7i
MLA
“Ransomware Groups Exploit Palo Alto Networks MFA Flaw.” Interestana, 20 Oct. 2026, interestana.com/articles/qilin-and-inc-ransomware-groups-exploit-palo-alto-networks-flaw-to-bypass-mfa-00mk2j7i.
Chicago
Interestana AI Editorial. “Ransomware Groups Exploit Palo Alto Networks MFA Flaw.” Interestana, October 20, 2026. https://interestana.com/articles/qilin-and-inc-ransomware-groups-exploit-palo-alto-networks-flaw-to-bypass-mfa-00mk2j7i.
BibTeX
@misc{interestana_00mk2j7i,
author = {{Interestana AI Editorial}},
title = {{Ransomware Groups Exploit Palo Alto Networks MFA Flaw}},
howpublished = {Interestana},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
url = {https://interestana.com/articles/qilin-and-inc-ransomware-groups-exploit-palo-alto-networks-flaw-to-bypass-mfa-00mk2j7i},
note = {Summary of reporting by The Hacker News, https://thehackernews.com/2026/10/qilin-and-inc-ransomware-groups-exploit.html}
}Credit the source
Original reporting: The Hacker News, “Qilin and INC Ransomware Groups Exploit Palo Alto Networks Flaw to Bypass MFA”, https://thehackernews.com/2026/10/qilin-and-inc-ransomware-groups-exploit.html(opens in a new tab)
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