CVE-2023-1697 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

This CVE record is related to an Improper Handling of Missing Values vulnerability in Juniper Networks Junos OS that allows an adjacent, unauthenticated attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) by crashing the dcpfe process when a specific malformed ethernet frame is received.

Understanding CVE-2023-1697

This vulnerability affects Juniper Networks Junos OS on QFX10000 Series, PTX1000 Series Series, impacting multiple versions. The issue was published on April 17, 2023, with the identifier CVE-2023-1697.

What is CVE-2023-1697?

The CVE-2023-1697 vulnerability resides in the Packet Forwarding Engine (PFE) of Juniper Networks Junos OS. When the dcpfe process crashes due to a malformed ethernet frame, a denial of service condition is triggered. Attackers can exploit this flaw without authentication, leading to a sustained DoS.

The Impact of CVE-2023-1697

This vulnerability poses a medium severity risk with a CVSS base score of 6.5. The availability impact is rated as high as it can lead to service disruptions and outages. The affected platforms include QFX10000 Series and PTX1000 Series.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-1697

This section provides insights into the vulnerability description, affected systems, and exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability is categorized as CWE-230 (Improper Handling of Missing Values) and can be exploited by malicious adjacent network attackers to crash the dcpfe process, causing a DoS.

Affected Systems and Versions

Juniper Networks Junos OS versions prior to 19.4R3-S10, 20.1R1 and later, 20.2R3-S6, 20.3R3-S6, 20.4R3-S5, 21.1R3-S4, 21.2R3-S3, 21.3R3-S3, 21.4R3-S1, 22.1R2-S1, 22.1R3, and 22.2R1-S2 are vulnerable to this issue on QFX10000 Series and PTX1000 Series platforms.

Exploitation Mechanism

By sending specific malformed ethernet frames, unauthenticated adjacent attackers can trigger the vulnerability, leading to crashing of the dcpfe process and subsequent DoS conditions.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2023-1697, immediate steps, long-term security practices, and necessary patching and updates are crucial.

Immediate Steps to Take

As there are no known workarounds, it is recommended to apply the provided software updates to mitigate the vulnerability and prevent potential exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing rigorous network security measures, monitoring for unusual network activity, and regularly updating software are essential for maintaining a secure environment.

Patching and Updates

Juniper Networks has released updated software versions (19.4R3-S10, 20.2R3-S6, 20.3R3-S6, 20.4R3-S5, 21.1R3-S4, 21.2R3-S3, 21.3R3-S3, 21.4R3-S1, 22.1R2-S1, 22.1R3, 22.2R1-S2, 22.2R2, and subsequent releases) that address the CVE-2023-1697 vulnerability. It is advised to promptly apply these updates to secure affected systems and prevent potential attacks.