Evidence used
- No CISA KEV confirmation is currently recorded.
- The selected CVSS metric records a network-reachable, unauthenticated path with no user interaction.
- EPSS is 0.95% for the current model date.
BlackTreeCVE IntelligenceFull vulnerability report · 2021
CVE-2021-0234High confidence
Junos OS: QFX5100-96S: DDoS protection does not work as expected.
Juniper Networks · Junos OS
5.8MediumCVSS 3.1
Scheduled
Patch availableMedium technical severity with no CISA KEV confirmation; remediate through the normal risk-based patch cycle unless local exposure raises the priority.
R
Open reassessment dashboard →Operational reassessment
Published severity in operational context
Published severityMedium→Operational priority:Medium, unchanged from published severity.unchanged
Compensating controls
- Validate the affected product branch and deploy the verified fixed release.
- Restrict the affected network interface to trusted sources where business-safe.
- Monitor vendor guidance and exploitation sources for a material change.
Verification
- Confirm that the asset runs Juniper Networks Junos OS and falls inside the recorded affected range.
- Verify the installed build against the product-specific fixed version after deployment.
- Validate exposure, authentication requirements and compensating controls in the actual environment.
- Reopen this reassessment when CVSS, KEV, EPSS, exploit evidence or remediation changes.
Medium technical severity with no CISA KEV confirmation; remediate through the normal risk-based patch cycle unless local exposure raises the priority.
Patch available01
What, why and how
Due to an improper Initialization vulnerability on Juniper Networks Junos OS QFX5100-96S devices with QFX 5e Series image installed, ddos-protection configuration changes will not take effect beyond the default DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) settings when configured from the CLI. The DDoS protection (jddosd) daemon allows the device to continue to function while protecting the packet forwarding engine (PFE) during the DDoS attack. When this issue occurs, the default DDoS settings within the PFE apply, as CPU bound packets will be throttled and dropped in the PFE when the limits are exceeded. To check if the device has this issue, the administrator can execute the following command to monitor the status of DDoS protection: user@device> show ddos-protection protocols error: the ddos-protection subsystem is not running This issue affects only QFX5100-96S devices. No other products or platforms are affected by this issue. This issue affects: Juniper Networks Junos OS on QFX5100-96S: 17.3 versions prior to 17.3R3-S10; 17.4 versions prior to 17.4R3-S4; 18.1 versions prior to 18.1R3-S10; 18.2 versions prior to 18.2R3-S3; 18.3 versions prior to 18.3R3-S2; 18.4 versions prior to 18.4R2-S4, 18.4R3-S1; 19.1 versions prior to 19.1R3, 19.1R3-S4; 19.2 versions prior to 19.2R2; 19.3 versions prior to 19.3R3; 19.4 versions prior to 19.4R2;
What
Due to an improper Initialization vulnerability on Juniper Networks Junos OS QFX5100-96S devices with QFX 5e Series image installed, ddos-protection configuration changes will not take effect beyond the default DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) settings when configured from the CLI. The DDoS protection (jddosd) daemon allows the device to continue to function while protecting the packet forwarding engine (PFE) during the DDoS attack. When this issue occurs, the default DDoS settings within the PFE apply, as CPU bound packets will be throttled and dropped in the PFE when the limits are exceeded. To check if the device has this issue, the administrator can execute the following command to monitor the status of DDoS protection: user@device> show ddos-protection protocols error: the ddos-protection subsystem is not running This issue affects only QFX5100-96S devices. No other products or platforms are affected by this issue. This issue affects: Juniper Networks Junos OS on QFX5100-96S: 17.3 versions prior to 17.3R3-S10; 17.4 versions prior to 17.4R3-S4; 18.1 versions prior to 18.1R3-S10; 18.2 versions prior to 18.2R3-S3; 18.3 versions prior to 18.3R3-S2; 18.4 versions prior to 18.4R2-S4, 18.4R3-S1; 19.1 versions prior to 19.1R3, 19.1R3-S4; 19.2 versions prior to 19.2R2; 19.3 versions prior to 19.3R3; 19.4 versions prior to 19.4R2;
Why
The product does not initialize or incorrectly initializes a resource, which might leave the resource in an unexpected state when it is accessed or used.
How
An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation without authentication or user interaction. If successful, the issue may disrupt the affected service.
What
Due to an improper Initialization vulnerability on Juniper Networks Junos OS QFX5100-96S devices with QFX 5e Series image installed, ddos-protection configuration changes will not take effect beyond the default DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) settings when configured from the CLI. The DDoS protection (jddosd) daemon allows the device to continue to function while protecting the packet forwarding engine (PFE) during the DDoS attack. When this issue occurs, the default DDoS settings within the PFE apply, as CPU bound packets will be throttled and dropped in the PFE when the limits are exceeded. To check if the device has this issue, the administrator can execute the following command to monitor the status of DDoS protection: user@device> show ddos-protection protocols error: the ddos-protection subsystem is not running This issue affects only QFX5100-96S devices. No other products or platforms are affected by this issue. This issue affects: Juniper Networks Junos OS on QFX5100-96S: 17.3 versions prior to 17.3R3-S10; 17.4 versions prior to 17.4R3-S4; 18.1 versions prior to 18.1R3-S10; 18.2 versions prior to 18.2R3-S3; 18.3 versions prior to 18.3R3-S2; 18.4 versions prior to 18.4R2-S4, 18.4R3-S1; 19.1 versions prior to 19.1R3, 19.1R3-S4; 19.2 versions prior to 19.2R2; 19.3 versions prior to 19.3R3; 19.4 versions prior to 19.4R2;
Why
The product does not initialize or incorrectly initializes a resource, which might leave the resource in an unexpected state when it is accessed or used.
How
An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation without authentication or user interaction. If successful, the issue may disrupt the affected service.
02
Exploit reality and attack path
CVSS severity, EPSS forecast probability, public exploit material and CISA-confirmed exploitation are separate signals.
Observed exploitation No confirmed evidence
?
Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.No CISA KEV match was present at the last successful refresh. This means no confirmation from that source, not proof of no exploitation.
Public PoC / exploit material None recorded
?
Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.No exploit-tagged reference or CISA SSVC proof-of-concept state is currently recorded. Research may still exist outside the structured feeds.
- Likely attack path
- a network path → Improper Initialization → disrupt the affected service
- Attack surface
- Network
- Privileges required
- None: unauthenticated exploitation is possible
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low: no specialised conditions are recorded
- Security boundary
- Changed: exploitation can affect a different security authority
- Weakness
?
CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness. - CWE-665 ↗
CWE-665: Improper Initialization. The product does not initialize or incorrectly initializes a resource, which might leave the resource in an unexpected state when it is accessed or used.
- CVSS vector
?
CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity. CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:LCommon Vulnerability Scoring System 3.1: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.
AVNetworkAttack vector: The vulnerable component can be reached over a network.ACLowAttack complexity: No specialised conditions are required beyond attacker-controlled input.PRNonePrivileges required: The attacker does not need an account or existing privileges.UINoneUser interaction: No action by another user is required.SChangedScope: The attack can affect a component governed by a different security authority.CNoneConfidentiality impact: No direct loss is represented by this metric.INoneIntegrity impact: No direct loss is represented by this metric.ALowAvailability impact: A successful attack can cause a limited loss.- Post-exploitation / living off the land
- No specific living-off-the-land technique is confirmed in the structured sources. Monitor normal administration tools for activity inconsistent with the affected service's baseline.
03
Patch and workaround
Operational remediation based on structured source evidence.
- Status
?
Patch availability is based on structured fixed-version fields and authoritative update references. If no fix is verified, check the vendor advisory before making a change. - Patch available
- Action
- Review the linked authoritative reference and apply the recorded fixed release appropriate to the affected product branch.
- Workaround
- No verified workaround is recorded. If business-safe, reduce exposure to the affected interface and allow only trusted sources until authoritative guidance is available.
04
Evidence and provenance
Published 22 Apr 2021 · Last source change 17 Sept 2024, 03:52 UTC · CWE-665 · Improper Initialization
CVE recordCVE.org · 5.1
CVSS sourceCNA
EPSS source FIRST · tracked since 2026-08-14
?
The date BlackTree first stored a score for this CVE from the daily FIRST EPSS feed.European sourceENISA EUVD · EUVD-2021-2853
Product sourceCNA
Remediation sourceCVE/CNA references
CWE sourceCNA
NVD statusNVD modified after enrichment
Core structured fields are present and their contributing authorities are shown above.
Material change intelligence
View recent updates ↗What changed after publication
No material field changes have been recorded since change tracking began. Routine source refreshes and cosmetic edits are intentionally excluded.
Technical terms and abbreviations used in this report
- CVE
- Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures: the public identifier for one disclosed vulnerability.
- CVSS
- Common Vulnerability Scoring System: a technical severity framework; it is not patching priority by itself.
- EPSS
- Exploit Prediction Scoring System: FIRST's estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days; it is a forecast, not confirmation.
- CWE
- Common Weakness Enumeration: the standard category describing the underlying software or hardware weakness.
- CNA
- CVE Numbering Authority: an organisation authorised to assign and publish CVE records.
- CISA ADP
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Authorized Data Publisher: structured enrichment added to a CVE record.
- NVD
- National Vulnerability Database: NIST's enrichment service for CVE records.
- CERT / CSIRT
- A computer security incident response team that publishes warnings or coordinates incident response.
- PoC
- Proof of concept: public material that demonstrates or helps reproduce exploitation.
- CSAF
- Common Security Advisory Framework: a machine-readable format for security advisories.
- LoTL
- Living off the land: abuse of legitimate tools or system functions during an attack.