CVE-2021-0286 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A vulnerability in the handling of exceptional conditions in Juniper Networks Junos OS Evolved (EVO) allows an attacker to send specially crafted packets to the device, causing the Advanced Forwarding Toolkit manager process to crash and restart, resulting in a Denial of Service (DoS).

Understanding CVE-2021-0286

This CVE relates to a vulnerability in Juniper Networks Junos OS Evolved that enables an attacker to disrupt network traffic by crashing the AFT manager process.

What is CVE-2021-0286?

A flaw in Junos OS Evolved permits attackers to send malicious packets, triggering a Denial of Service by crashing the Advanced Forwarding Toolkit manager process.

The Impact of CVE-2021-0286

The vulnerability can disrupt network services by causing a DoS condition, affecting all traffic passing through the affected device.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-0286

This section covers the specifics of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw allows attackers to send crafted packets, crashing the AFT manager process and impacting network traffic, leading to a sustained DoS condition.

Affected Systems and Versions

Juniper Networks Junos OS Evolved versions prior to 20.4R2-EVO and 21.1R2-EVO are vulnerable to this issue.

Exploitation Mechanism

There are no known examples of malicious exploitation of this vulnerability by Juniper SIRT.

Mitigation and Prevention

Here are the steps to mitigate the CVE-2021-0286 vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Junos OS Evolved to the fixed versions: 20.4R2-EVO, 21.1R2-EVO, 21.2R1-EVO, or newer releases.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and implement network security best practices to prevent such vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Install security patches as soon as they are available to protect against known vulnerabilities.