Junos OS: Insufficient validation of environment variables in telnet client may lead to stack-based buffer overflow
Insufficient validation of environment variables in the telnet client supplied in Junos OS can lead to stack-based buffer overflows, which can be exploited to bypass veriexec restrictions on Junos OS. A stack-based overflow is present in the handling of environment variables when connecting via the telnet client to remote telnet servers. This issue only affects the telnet client — accessible from the CLI or shell — in Junos OS. Inbound telnet services are not affected by this issue. This issue affects: Juniper Networks Junos OS: 12.3 versions prior to 12.3R12-S13; 12.3X48 versions prior to 12.3X48-D80; 14.1X53 versions prior to 14.1X53-D130, 14.1X53-D49; 15.1 versions prior to 15.1F6-S12, 15.1R7-S4; 15.1X49 versions prior to 15.1X49-D170; 15.1X53 versions prior to 15.1X53-D237, 15.1X53-D496, 15.1X53-D591, 15.1X53-D69; 16.1 versions prior to 16.1R3-S11, 16.1R7-S4; 16.2 versions prior to 16.2R2-S9; 17.1 versions prior to 17.1R3; 17.2 versions prior to 17.2R1-S8, 17.2R2-S7, 17.2R3-S1; 17.3 versions prior to 17.3R3-S4; 17.4 versions prior to 17.4R1-S6, 17.4R2-S3, 17.4R3; 18.1 versions prior to 18.1R2-S4, 18.1R3-S3; 18.2 versions prior to 18.2R1-S5, 18.2R2-S2, 18.2R3; 18.2X75 versions prior to 18.2X75-D40; 18.3 versions prior to 18.3R1-S3, 18.3R2; 18.4 versions prior to 18.4R1-S2, 18.4R2.
- Published
- Jul 11, 2019
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.6% · 46th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-121
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Report tools
Action score
31
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 31 / 40 · 7.8 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.6%
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- 7.8
- CNA · juniper
- 7.8
- agree
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Affected systems
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- debian debian linux10.0
- juniper junos12.3
- juniper junos12.3r12
- juniper junos12.3x48
- juniper junos14.1x53
- juniper junos15.1
- juniper junos15.1x49
- juniper junos15.1x53
- juniper junos16.1
- juniper junos16.2
- juniper junos17.1
- juniper junos17.2
- juniper junos17.3
- juniper junos17.4
- juniper junos18.1
- juniper junos18.2
- juniper junos18.2x75
- juniper junos18.3
- juniper junos18.4
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (juniper). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
Juniper Networks Junos OS
- 12.3 versions prior to 12.3R12-S13, 12.3X48 versions prior to 12.3X48-D80, 14.1X53 versions prior to 14.1X53-D130 and 14.1X53-D49, 15.1 versions prior to 15.1F6-S12 and15.1R7-S4, 15.1X49 versions prior to 15.1X49-D170, 15.1X53 versions prior to 15.1X53-D237 and 15.1X53-D496 and 15.1X53-D591 and 15.1X53-D69, 16.1 versions prior to 16.1R3-S11 and 16.1R7-S4, 16.2 versions prior to 16.2R2-S9, 17.1 versions prior to 17.1R3, 17.2 versions prior to 17.2R1-S8 and 17.2R2-S7 and 17.2R3-S1, 17.3 versions prior to 17.3R3-S4, 17.4 versions prior to 17.4R1-S6 and 17.4R2-S3 and 17.4R3 … (+5)affected
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:10 | inetutils | before 2:1.9.4-7+deb10u3 | 2:1.9.4-7+deb10u3 |
| Debian:12 | inetutils | before 2:1.9.4-11 | 2:1.9.4-11 |
Same product
juniper: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2023-36845Junos OS: EX and SRX Series: A PHP vulnerability in J-Web allows an unauthenticated to control an important environment variableKEV98Now
- CVE-2023-36846Junos OS: SRX Series: A vulnerability in J-Web allows an unauthenticated attacker to upload arbitrary filesKEV79This week
- CVE-2023-36844Junos OS: EX Series: A PHP vulnerability in J-Web allows an unauthenticated attacker to control important environment variablesKEV78This week
- CVE-2023-36847Junos OS: EX Series: A vulnerability in J-Web allows an unauthenticated attacker to upload arbitrary filesKEV76This week
- CVE-2020-1631Out of Cycle Security Advisory: Junos OS: Security vulnerability in J-Web and web based (HTTP/HTTPS) servicesKEV70This week
- CVE-2025-21590Junos OS: An local attacker with shell access can execute arbitrary codeKEV57Plan
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| debian:inetutils | 2:1.9.4-11 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
Proof of concept available
A public proof of concept or detection signature exists. Exploit knowledge is out there; don't delay patching.
Evidence
- Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub ×1
Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.
| Source | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub | stars:1 | 2020-02-28 |
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
- Published
- First PoC+231 d
- TodaySep 30, 2026+2638 d
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
- A low-privileged account is enough.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Local
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-121 · Stack-based Buffer OverflowCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for all 385,000+ vulnerabilities; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for helpChange log
- Fix✗ → ✓
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References
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/153746/FreeBSD-Security-Advisory-FreeBSD-SA-19-12.telnet.html
- kb.juniper.net/JSA10947
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2022/11/msg00033.html
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/10/msg00013.html
- seclists.org/bugtraq/2019/Jul/45
- security.FreeBSD.org/advisories/FreeBSD-SA-19:12.telnet.asc
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.