CVE-2020-1617 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

This article provides insights into a vulnerability affecting Juniper Networks Junos OS on PTX1000 and PTX10000 Series, QFX10000 Series.

Understanding CVE-2020-1617

CVE-2020-1617 is a vulnerability in Junos OS that causes a system reboot when a genuine packet is inspected by sFlow, impacting specific versions of the operating system.

What is CVE-2020-1617?

The vulnerability arises from memory initialization issues in non-AFI/AFT platforms, leading to Denial of Service (DoS) when inspected by sFlow along with firewall policers.

The Impact of CVE-2020-1617

Attack Complexity: Low
Vector: Network
Severity: High
Availability Impact: High
No impact on Confidentiality or Integrity
No privileges required
User interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged

Technical Details of CVE-2020-1617

Vulnerability Description

Improper initialization of memory leads to DoS when inspected by sFlow and firewall policers.

Affected Systems and Versions

Junos OS versions prior to 17.4R2-S9, 17.4R3; 18.1R3-S9; 18.2X75-D12, 18.2X75-D30; 18.2R3; 18.3R3 on specified platforms.

Exploitation Mechanism

Involves the first genuine packet being inspected by sFlow through a specific firewall policer, causing the device to reboot.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Disable firewall policers or sFlow or both to mitigate the issue.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update Junos OS to the patched versions provided by Juniper Networks.

Patching and Updates

Update to versions resolving the specific issue: 17.4R2-S9, 17.4R3; 18.2X75-D12, 18.2X75-D30; 18.1R3-S9, 18.2R3, 18.3R3, 18.4R1, and later.