Evidence used
- No CISA KEV confirmation is currently recorded.
- EPSS is 0.63% for the current model date.
BlackTreeCVE IntelligenceFull vulnerability report · 2021
CVE-2021-31354High confidence
Junos OS and Junos OS Evolved: A vulnerability in the Juniper Agile License Client may allow an attacker to perform Remote Code Execution (RCE)
Juniper Networks · Junos OS
7.1HighCVSS 3.1
Within 7 days
Patch availableHigh technical severity; prioritise exposed affected systems while verifying vendor guidance.
R
Open reassessment dashboard →Operational reassessment
Published severity in operational context
Published severityHigh→Operational priority:High, unchanged from published severity.unchanged
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
- 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.
High technical severity; prioritise exposed affected systems while verifying vendor guidance.
Patch available01
What, why and how
An Out Of Bounds (OOB) access vulnerability in the handling of responses by a Juniper Agile License (JAL) Client in Juniper Networks Junos OS and Junos OS Evolved, configured in Network Mode (to use Juniper Agile License Manager) may allow an attacker to cause a partial Denial of Service (DoS), or lead to remote code execution (RCE). The vulnerability exists in the packet parsing logic on the client that processes the response from the server using a custom protocol. An attacker with control of a JAL License Manager, or with access to the local broadcast domain, may be able to spoof a new JAL License Manager and/or craft a response to the Junos OS License Client, leading to exploitation of this vulnerability. This issue only affects Junos systems configured in Network Mode. Systems that are configured in Standalone Mode (the default mode of operation for all systems) are not vulnerable to this issue. This issue affects: Juniper Networks Junos OS: 19.2 versions prior to 19.2R3-S3; 19.3 versions prior to 19.3R3-S3; 20.1 versions prior to 20.1R2-S2, 20.1R3-S1; 20.2 versions prior to 20.2R3-S2; 20.3 versions prior to 20.3R3; 20.4 versions prior to 20.4R3; 21.1 versions prior to 21.1R2. Juniper Networks Junos OS Evolved: version 20.1R1-EVO and later versions, prior to 21.2R2-EVO. This issue does not affect Juniper Networks Junos OS versions prior to 19.2R1.
What
An Out Of Bounds (OOB) access vulnerability in the handling of responses by a Juniper Agile License (JAL) Client in Juniper Networks Junos OS and Junos OS Evolved, configured in Network Mode (to use Juniper Agile License Manager) may allow an attacker to cause a partial Denial of Service (DoS), or lead to remote code execution (RCE). The vulnerability exists in the packet parsing logic on the client that processes the response from the server using a custom protocol. An attacker with control of a JAL License Manager, or with access to the local broadcast domain, may be able to spoof a new JAL License Manager and/or craft a response to the Junos OS License Client, leading to exploitation of this vulnerability. This issue only affects Junos systems configured in Network Mode. Systems that are configured in Standalone Mode (the default mode of operation for all systems) are not vulnerable to this issue. This issue affects: Juniper Networks Junos OS: 19.2 versions prior to 19.2R3-S3; 19.3 versions prior to 19.3R3-S3; 20.1 versions prior to 20.1R2-S2, 20.1R3-S1; 20.2 versions prior to 20.2R3-S2; 20.3 versions prior to 20.3R3; 20.4 versions prior to 20.4R3; 21.1 versions prior to 21.1R2. Juniper Networks Junos OS Evolved: version 20.1R1-EVO and later versions, prior to 21.2R2-EVO. This issue does not affect Juniper Networks Junos OS versions prior to 19.2R1.
Why
The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.
How
An attacker operating through an adjacent network may attempt exploitation without authentication or user interaction. If successful, the issue may execute code or commands in the affected security context.
What
An Out Of Bounds (OOB) access vulnerability in the handling of responses by a Juniper Agile License (JAL) Client in Juniper Networks Junos OS and Junos OS Evolved, configured in Network Mode (to use Juniper Agile License Manager) may allow an attacker to cause a partial Denial of Service (DoS), or lead to remote code execution (RCE). The vulnerability exists in the packet parsing logic on the client that processes the response from the server using a custom protocol. An attacker with control of a JAL License Manager, or with access to the local broadcast domain, may be able to spoof a new JAL License Manager and/or craft a response to the Junos OS License Client, leading to exploitation of this vulnerability. This issue only affects Junos systems configured in Network Mode. Systems that are configured in Standalone Mode (the default mode of operation for all systems) are not vulnerable to this issue. This issue affects: Juniper Networks Junos OS: 19.2 versions prior to 19.2R3-S3; 19.3 versions prior to 19.3R3-S3; 20.1 versions prior to 20.1R2-S2, 20.1R3-S1; 20.2 versions prior to 20.2R3-S2; 20.3 versions prior to 20.3R3; 20.4 versions prior to 20.4R3; 21.1 versions prior to 21.1R2. Juniper Networks Junos OS Evolved: version 20.1R1-EVO and later versions, prior to 21.2R2-EVO. This issue does not affect Juniper Networks Junos OS versions prior to 19.2R1.
Why
The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.
How
An attacker operating through an adjacent network may attempt exploitation without authentication or user interaction. If successful, the issue may execute code or commands in the affected security context.
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
- an adjacent network → Out-of-bounds Read → execute code or commands in the affected security context
- Attack surface
- Adjacent
- Privileges required
- None: unauthenticated exploitation is possible
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High: exploitation depends on specific conditions
- Security boundary
- Unchanged: impact remains within the vulnerable component's security authority
- Weakness
?
CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness. - CWE-125 ↗
CWE-125: Out-of-bounds Read. The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.
- 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:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:LCommon 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.ACHighAttack complexity: Successful exploitation depends on specific conditions outside the attacker's direct control.PRNonePrivileges required: The attacker does not need an account or existing privileges.UINoneUser interaction: No action by another user is required.SUnchangedScope: The security impact remains within the vulnerable component's authority.CHighConfidentiality impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.IHighIntegrity impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.ALowAvailability impact: A successful attack can cause a limited loss.- Post-exploitation / living off the land
- After compromise, an attacker may use built-in shells, scripting engines, scheduled tasks and native network utilities for discovery, persistence or movement. This is a plausible LoTL path, not evidence that it has occurred for every attack.
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
- 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 19 Oct 2021 · Last source change 17 Sept 2024, 01:30 UTC · CWE-125 · Out-of-bounds Read
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-2021-18264
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.
CVE published
Fixed release or patch reference recorded
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.