CVE-2020-1618
Junos OS: EX and QFX Series: Console port authentication bypass vulnerability
- Published
- Updated
- Reserved
- Assigned by
- juniper
Description
On Juniper Networks EX and QFX Series, an authentication bypass vulnerability may allow a user connected to the console port to login as root without any password. This issue might only occur in certain scenarios: • At the first reboot after performing device factory reset using the command “request system zeroize”; or • A temporary moment during the first reboot after the software upgrade when the device configured in Virtual Chassis mode. This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS on EX and QFX Series: 14.1X53 versions prior to 14.1X53-D53; 15.1 versions prior to 15.1R7-S4; 15.1X53 versions prior to 15.1X53-D593; 16.1 versions prior to 16.1R7-S4; 17.1 versions prior to 17.1R2-S11, 17.1R3-S1; 17.2 versions prior to 17.2R3-S3; 17.3 versions prior to 17.3R2-S5, 17.3R3-S6; 17.4 versions prior to 17.4R2-S9, 17.4R3; 18.1 versions prior to 18.1R3-S8; 18.2 versions prior to 18.2R2; 18.3 versions prior to 18.3R1-S7, 18.3R2. This issue does not affect Juniper Networks Junos OS 12.3.
Timeline
ID reserved
By juniper
- 5 months later
· 5 months later
Published
- 4 years later
· 4 years later
Record updated
Changes after publication (a new score, a public exploit, EPSS crossing 1, 10 or 50 %, leaving KEV) are kept since November 2026; earlier ones are not known.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| juniperCNA (assigner) | 3.1 | Medium6.3 | CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| NVDNVD · Modified | 3.1 | Medium6.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 0.36% · top 70% of all CVEs (7 Nov 2026)
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: Medium 6.3.
Weakness
Affected products
- unaffected 12.3
- affected 14.1X53 – < 14.1X53-D53
- affected 15.1 – < 15.1R7-S4
- affected 15.1X53 – < 15.1X53-D593
- affected 16.1 – < 16.1R7-S4
- affected 17.1 – < 17.1R2-S11, 17.1R3-S1
- affected 17.2 – < 17.2R3-S3
- affected 17.3 – < 17.3R2-S5, 17.3R3-S6
- affected 17.4 – < 17.4R2-S9, 17.4R3
- affected 18.1 – < 18.1R3-S8
- affected 18.2 – < 18.2R2
- affected 18.3 – < 18.3R1-S7, 18.3R2
What to do
Solution: The following software releases have been updated to resolve this specific issue: 14.1X53-D53, 15.1X53-D593, 15.1R7-S4, 16.1R7-S4, 17.1R2-S11, 17.1R3-S1, 17.2R3-S3, 17.3R2-S5, 17.3R3-S6, 17.4R2-S9, 17.4R3, 18.1R3-S8, 18.2R2, 18.3R1-S7, 18.3R2, 18.4R1, and all subsequent releases.
Workaround: Limit physical access to the console port only to trusted administrators.
Exploitation: Juniper SIRT is not aware of any malicious exploitation of this vulnerability.
References (1)
- https://kb.juniper.net/JSA11001 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRMx_transferred
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://trackcve.app/cve/CVE-2020-1618)Record last updated .