CVE-2021-0293

Junos OS: Out-of-memory condition and crashes can occur after executing a certain CLI command repeatedly

MEDIUM
5.5
CVSS Score
Published: July 15, 2021 at 08:01 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 03:29 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorJunos

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Severity
MEDIUM5.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.2%

Description

A vulnerability in Juniper Networks Junos OS caused by Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime leads to a memory leak each time the CLI command 'show system connections extensive' is executed. The amount of memory leaked on each execution depends on the number of TCP connections from and to the system. Repeated execution will cause more memory to leak and eventually daemons that need to allocate additionally memory and ultimately the kernel to crash, which will result in traffic loss. Continued execution of this command will cause a sustained Denial of Service (DoS) condition. An administrator can use the following CLI command to monitor for increase in memory consumption of the netstat process, if it exists: user@junos> show system processes extensive | match "username|netstat" PID USERNAME PRI NICE SIZE RES STATE C TIME WCPU COMMAND 21181 root 100 0 5458M 4913M CPU3 2 0:59 97.27% netstat The following log message might be observed if this issue happens: kernel: %KERN-3: pid 21181 (netstat), uid 0, was killed: out of swap space This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS 18.2 versions prior to 18.2R2-S8, 18.2R3-S7. 18.3 versions prior to 18.3R3-S4; 18.4 versions prior to 18.4R1-S8, 18.4R2-S6, 18.4R3-S7; 19.1 versions prior to 19.1R1-S6, 19.1R2-S2, 19.1R3-S4; 19.2 versions prior to 19.2R1-S6, 19.2R3-S2; 19.3 versions prior to 19.3R2-S6, 19.3R3-S1; 19.4 versions prior to 19.4R1-S4, 19.4R2-S3, 19.4R3-S1; 20.1 versions prior to 20.1R2; 20.2 versions prior to 20.2R2-S1, 20.2R3; 20.3 versions prior to 20.3R1-S1, 20.3R2; This issue does not affect Juniper Networks Junos OS versions prior to 18.2R1.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

Vendor states this is fixed in 18.2R1 (unaffected)
Affected range stops below 18.2R2-S8, 18.2R3-S7, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 18.3R3-S4, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 18.4R1-S8, 18.4R2-S6, 18.4R3-S7, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 19.1R1-S6, 19.1R2-S2, 19.1R3-S4, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 19.2R1-S6, 19.2R3-S2, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 19.3R2-S6, 19.3R3-S1, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 19.4R1-S4, 19.4R2-S3, 19.4R3-S1, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 20.1R2, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 20.2R2-S1, 20.2R3, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 20.3R1-S1, 20.3R2, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet. What the record does show:

Patch and advisory references

References (1)

x_refsource_CONFIRMVendor Advisory
https://kb.juniper.net/JSA11195

CVSS

5.5MEDIUMjuniper
Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
NONE
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED
CWE
CWE-401

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