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CVE-2023-28973

Junos OS Evolved: The 'sysmanctl' shell command allows a local user to gain access to some administrative actions

High7.1EPSS 0.15%
Published
Updated
Reserved
Assigned by
juniper

Description

An Improper Authorization vulnerability in the 'sysmanctl' shell command of Juniper Networks Junos OS Evolved allows a local, authenticated attacker to execute administrative commands that could impact the integrity of the system or system availability. Administrative functions such as daemon restarting, routing engine (RE) switchover, and node shutdown can all be performed through exploitation of the 'sysmanctl' command. Access to the 'sysmanctl' command is only available from the Junos shell. Neither direct nor indirect access to 'sysmanctl' is available from the Junos CLI. This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS Evolved: All versions prior to 20.4R3-S5-EVO; 21.2 versions prior to 21.2R3-EVO; 21.3 versions prior to 21.3R2-EVO; 21.4 versions prior to 21.4R1-S2-EVO, 21.4R2-EVO.

Timeline

  1. ID reserved

    By juniper

  2. · 19 days later

    Published

  3. · 22 months 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-2023-28973, by who scored it
Scored byCVSSScoreVector
juniperCNA (assigner)3.1High7.1CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
NVDNVD · Modified3.1High7.1CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
0.15% · top 96% of all CVEs (7 Nov 2026)
CISA SSVC
Exploitation: none · Automatable: no · Technical impact: partial
Loading the EPSS history…

The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: High 7.1.

Weakness

Affected products

  • Juniper Networks · Junos OS Evolved

    • affected unspecified – < 20.4R3-S5-EVO
    • affected 21.2 – < 21.2R3-EVO
    • affected 21.3 – < 21.3R2-EVO
    • affected 21.4 – < 21.4R1-S2-EVO, 21.4R2-EVO

What to do

Solution: The following software releases have been updated to resolve this specific issue: Junos OS Evolved 20.4R3-S5-EVO, 21.2R3-EVO, 21.3R2-EVO, 21.4R1-S2-EVO, 21.4R2-EVO, 22.1R1-EVO, and all subsequent releases.

Workaround: Limit access to the Junos shell through the use of command authorization to only trusted system 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 .