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Full vulnerability report · 2021
CVE-2021-0243High confidence

Junos OS: EX4300: Stateless firewall policer fails to discard traffic

Juniper Networks · Junos OS

4.7MediumCVSS 3.1
Recommended action
Scheduled

Medium technical severity with no CISA KEV confirmation; remediate through the normal risk-based patch cycle unless local exposure raises the priority.

Patch available
R
Operational reassessment

Published severity in operational context

Open reassessment dashboard →
Published severityMediumOperational priority:Medium, unchanged from published severity.unchanged

Evidence used

  • No CISA KEV confirmation is currently recorded.
  • EPSS is 0.38% for the current model date.

Compensating controls

  • Validate the affected product branch and deploy the verified fixed release.
  • Restrict local access and enforce least privilege on affected hosts.
  • Monitor vendor guidance and exploitation sources for a material change.

Verification

  1. Confirm that the asset runs Juniper Networks Junos OS and falls inside the recorded affected range.
  2. Verify the installed build against the product-specific fixed version after deployment.
  3. Validate exposure, authentication requirements and compensating controls in the actual environment.
  4. Reopen this reassessment when CVSS, KEV, EPSS, exploit evidence or remediation changes.
Mitigation target: As exposure requiresRemediation target: Within 365 days

This automated reassessment organises public evidence. It does not know asset exposure, business impact or control effectiveness and does not replace CVSS or a human risk decision.

Optional official sources

National CERT insights
?CERT means Computer Emergency Response Team; CSIRT is the closely related term Computer Security Incident Response Team.

Choose official national sources for this report. Each advisory shows its original language. Your selection is remembered on this device and included in shared links.

Official European source

ENISA European Vulnerability Database

Official EUVD identifiers, advisory evidence and known-exploited context. Missing fields are not treated as evidence of low risk.

1 current
ENISA EUVD identifier

EUVD-2021-2862

No EUVD known-exploited evidence

ENISA has published the identifier mapping but no EUVD description has been stored yet.

EUVD state
Present in the current official mapping
Known exploitation
Not present in the current ENISA EUVD known-exploited dataset. This is not proof of no exploitation.
ENISA score
Not supplied in the stored EUVD record
Advisory evidence
No linked advisory details stored yet
Recommended actionScheduled

Medium technical severity with no CISA KEV confirmation; remediate through the normal risk-based patch cycle unless local exposure raises the priority.

Patch available
01

What, why and how

Improper Handling of Unexpected Data in the firewall policer of Juniper Networks Junos OS on EX4300 switches allows matching traffic to exceed set policer limits, possibly leading to a limited Denial of Service (DoS) condition. When the firewall policer discard action fails on a Layer 2 port, it will allow traffic to pass even though it exceeds set policer limits. Traffic will not get discarded, and will be forwarded even though a policer discard action is configured. When the issue occurs, traffic is not discarded as desired, which can be observed by comparing the Input bytes with the Output bytes using the following command: user@junos> monitor interface traffic Interface Link Input bytes (bps) Output bytes (bps) ge-0/0/0 Up 37425422 (82616) 37425354 (82616) <<<< egress ge-0/0/1 Up 37425898 (82616) 37425354 (82616) <<<< ingress The expected output, with input and output counters differing, is shown below: Interface Link Input bytes (bps) Output bytes (bps) ge-0/0/0 Up 342420570 (54600) 342422760 (54600) <<<< egress ge-0/0/1 Up 517672120 (84000) 342420570 (54600) <<<< ingress This issue only affects IPv4 policing. IPv6 traffic and firewall policing actions are not affected by this issue. This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS on the EX4300: All versions prior to 17.3R3-S10; 17.4 versions prior to 17.4R3-S3; 18.1 versions prior to 18.1R3-S11; 18.2 versions prior to 18.2R3-S6; 18.3 versions prior to 18.3R3-S4; 18.4 versions prior to 18.4R3-S6; 19.1 versions prior to 19.1R3-S3; 19.2 versions prior to 19.2R3-S1; 19.3 versions prior to 19.3R3-S1; 19.4 versions prior to 19.4R3; 20.1 versions prior to 20.1R2; 20.2 versions prior to 20.2R2.

What

Improper Handling of Unexpected Data in the firewall policer of Juniper Networks Junos OS on EX4300 switches allows matching traffic to exceed set policer limits, possibly leading to a limited Denial of Service (DoS) condition. When the firewall policer discard action fails on a Layer 2 port, it will allow traffic to pass even though it exceeds set policer limits. Traffic will not get discarded, and will be forwarded even though a policer discard action is configured. When the issue occurs, traffic is not discarded as desired, which can be observed by comparing the Input bytes with the Output bytes using the following command: user@junos> monitor interface traffic Interface Link Input bytes (bps) Output bytes (bps) ge-0/0/0 Up 37425422 (82616) 37425354 (82616) <<<< egress ge-0/0/1 Up 37425898 (82616) 37425354 (82616) <<<< ingress The expected output, with input and output counters differing, is shown below: Interface Link Input bytes (bps) Output bytes (bps) ge-0/0/0 Up 342420570 (54600) 342422760 (54600) <<<< egress ge-0/0/1 Up 517672120 (84000) 342420570 (54600) <<<< ingress This issue only affects IPv4 policing. IPv6 traffic and firewall policing actions are not affected by this issue. This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS on the EX4300: All versions prior to 17.3R3-S10; 17.4 versions prior to 17.4R3-S3; 18.1 versions prior to 18.1R3-S11; 18.2 versions prior to 18.2R3-S6; 18.3 versions prior to 18.3R3-S4; 18.4 versions prior to 18.4R3-S6; 19.1 versions prior to 19.1R3-S3; 19.2 versions prior to 19.2R3-S1; 19.3 versions prior to 19.3R3-S1; 19.4 versions prior to 19.4R3; 20.1 versions prior to 20.1R2; 20.2 versions prior to 20.2R2.

Why

The product does not handle or incorrectly handles when a particular element is not the expected type, e.g. it expects a digit (0-9) but is provided with a letter (A-Z).

How

An attacker operating through an adjacent network may attempt exploitation without authentication or user interaction. If successful, the issue may disrupt the affected service.

What

Improper Handling of Unexpected Data in the firewall policer of Juniper Networks Junos OS on EX4300 switches allows matching traffic to exceed set policer limits, possibly leading to a limited Denial of Service (DoS) condition. When the firewall policer discard action fails on a Layer 2 port, it will allow traffic to pass even though it exceeds set policer limits. Traffic will not get discarded, and will be forwarded even though a policer discard action is configured. When the issue occurs, traffic is not discarded as desired, which can be observed by comparing the Input bytes with the Output bytes using the following command: user@junos> monitor interface traffic Interface Link Input bytes (bps) Output bytes (bps) ge-0/0/0 Up 37425422 (82616) 37425354 (82616) <<<< egress ge-0/0/1 Up 37425898 (82616) 37425354 (82616) <<<< ingress The expected output, with input and output counters differing, is shown below: Interface Link Input bytes (bps) Output bytes (bps) ge-0/0/0 Up 342420570 (54600) 342422760 (54600) <<<< egress ge-0/0/1 Up 517672120 (84000) 342420570 (54600) <<<< ingress This issue only affects IPv4 policing. IPv6 traffic and firewall policing actions are not affected by this issue. This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS on the EX4300: All versions prior to 17.3R3-S10; 17.4 versions prior to 17.4R3-S3; 18.1 versions prior to 18.1R3-S11; 18.2 versions prior to 18.2R3-S6; 18.3 versions prior to 18.3R3-S4; 18.4 versions prior to 18.4R3-S6; 19.1 versions prior to 19.1R3-S3; 19.2 versions prior to 19.2R3-S1; 19.3 versions prior to 19.3R3-S1; 19.4 versions prior to 19.4R3; 20.1 versions prior to 20.1R2; 20.2 versions prior to 20.2R2.

Why

The product does not handle or incorrectly handles when a particular element is not the expected type, e.g. it expects a digit (0-9) but is provided with a letter (A-Z).

How

An attacker operating through an adjacent network 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
?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.
No confirmed evidence

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
?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.
None recorded

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
an adjacent network → Improper Handling of Unexpected Data Type → disrupt the affected service
Attack surface
Adjacent
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-241 ↗

CWE-241: Improper Handling of Unexpected Data Type. The product does not handle or incorrectly handles when a particular element is not the expected type, e.g. it expects a digit (0-9) but is provided with a letter (A-Z).

CVSS vector
?CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity.
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:L

Common Vulnerability Scoring System 3.1: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.

AVAdjacentAttack vector: The attacker must be on an adjacent or logically close 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.
UnauthenticatedDenial of serviceCWE-241
A

Official authority intelligence

Only matched European and national findings are included. Language selectors and unavailable sources are omitted.

Cyber Security Agency of Singapore · English · CSA-SB-20210428Security Bulletin 28 Apr 2021

The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore included this CVE in its official Security Bulletin 28 Apr 2021, published on 28 April 2021. Open the linked bulletin for the product, severity and reference information published in that issue.

Official advisory ↗
CERT-FR · French · CERTFR-2021-AVI-290Multiples vulnérabilités dans les produits Juniper

nt&id=JSA11166&cat=SIRT_1&actp=LIST Référence CVE CVE-2021-0232 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-0232 Référence CVE CVE-2021-0233 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-0233 Référence CVE CVE-2021-0234 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-0234 Référence CVE CVE-2021-0235 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-0235 Référence CVE CVE-2021-0236 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-0236 Référence CVE CVE-2021-0237 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-0237 Référence CVE CVE-2021-0238 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-0238 Référence CVE CVE-2021-0239 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-0239 Référence CVE CVE-2021-0243 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-0243 Référence CVE CVE-2021-0244 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-0244 Référence CVE CVE-2021-0245 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-0245 Référence CVE CVE-2021-0248 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-0248 Référence CVE CVE-2021-0249 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-0249 Référence CVE CVE-2021-0250 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-0250 Référence CVE CVE-2021-0251 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-0251 Référence CVE CVE-2021-0252 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-0252 Référence CVE CVE-2021-0253 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-0253 Ré

Official advisory ↗
JVN iPedia · Japanese · JVNDB-2021-005615Juniper Networks Junos OS における脆弱性

Juniper Networks Junos OS には、不特定の脆弱性が存在します。

Official advisory ↗
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
Affected
Junos OS: unspecified < 17.3R3-S10, 17.4 < 17.4R3-S3, 18.1 < 18.1R3-S11, 18.2 < 18.2R3-S6, 18.3 < 18.3R3-S4, 18.4 < 18.4R3-S6, 19.1 < 19.1R3-S3, 19.2 < 19.2R3-S1, 19.3 < 19.3R3-S1, 19.4 < 19.4R3, 20.1 < 20.1R2, 20.2 < 20.2R2
Fixed
The following software releases have been updated to resolve this specific issue: Junos OS 17.3R3-S10, 17.4R3-S3, 18.1R3-S11, 18.2R3-S6, 18.3R3-S4, 18.4R3-S6, 19.1R3-S3, 19.2R3-S1, 19.3R3-S1, 19.4R3, 20.1R2, 20.2R2, 20.3R1, and all subsequent releases.
Action
Review the linked authoritative reference and apply the recorded fixed release appropriate to the affected product branch.
Workaround
No verified workaround is recorded. Limit untrusted access and use least privilege until authoritative guidance is available.
04

Evidence and provenance

Published 22 Apr 2021 · Last source change 17 Sept 2024, 00:51 UTC · CWE-241 · Improper Handling of Unexpected Data Type

CVE recordCVE.org · 5.1
CVSS sourceCNA
EPSS source
?The date BlackTree first stored a score for this CVE from the daily FIRST EPSS feed.
FIRST · tracked since 2026-08-14
European sourceENISA EUVD · EUVD-2021-2862
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

What changed after publication

View recent updates ↗

No material field changes have been recorded since change tracking began. Routine source refreshes and cosmetic edits are intentionally excluded.

Material fields only · duplicate refreshes suppressed · history retained for the configured operational retention period
CVE published
ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2021-2862↗CVE authority or vendor reference↗Official CVE record (CNA and ADP data)↗NVD record↗
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.
Free version - for non-commercial use only.CVE-2021-0243 · cve.blacktree.nl