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CVE-2020-1618

Junos OS: EX and QFX Series: Console port authentication bypass vulnerability

Medium6.3EPSS 0.36%
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

  1. ID reserved

    By juniper

  2. · 5 months later

    Published

  3. · 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

CVSS scores of CVE-2020-1618, by who scored it
Scored byCVSSScoreVector
juniperCNA (assigner)3.1Medium6.3CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVDNVD · Modified3.1Medium6.8CVSS: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)
Loading the EPSS history…

The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: Medium 6.3.

Weakness

Affected products

  • Juniper Networks · Junos OS

    • 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)

Sources

The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.

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Record last updated .