CVE-2023-28972

Junos OS: NFX Series: 'set system ports console insecure' allows root password recovery

MEDIUM

6.8

CVSS Score

Published: April 17, 2023 at 12:00 AM UTC

Updated: June 17, 2026 at 05:49 AM UTC

4 products affected across 2 vendorsJunosNfx250Nfx150

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Severity

MEDIUM6.8

Exploit prediction

EPSS 0.4%

SSVC

No known exploit

Description

An Improper Link Resolution Before File Access vulnerability in console port access of Juniper Networks Junos OS on NFX Series allows an attacker to bypass console access controls. When "set system ports console insecure" is enabled, root login is disallowed for Junos OS as expected. However, the root password can be changed using "set system root-authentication plain-text-password" on NFX Series systems, leading to a possible administrative bypass with physical access to the console. Password recovery, changing the root password from a console, should not have been allowed from an insecure console. This is similar to the vulnerability described in CVE-2019-0035 but affects different platforms and in turn requires a different fix. This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS on NFX Series: 19.2 versions prior to 19.2R3-S7; 19.3 versions prior to 19.3R3-S8; 19.4 versions prior to 19.4R3-S12; 20.2 versions prior to 20.2R3-S8; 20.4 versions prior to 20.4R3-S7; 21.1 versions prior to 21.1R3-S5; 21.2 versions prior to 21.2R3-S4; 21.3 versions prior to 21.3R3-S3; 21.4 versions prior to 21.4R3-S2; 22.1 versions prior to 22.1R3-S1; 22.2 versions prior to 22.2R2-S1, 22.2R3; 22.3 versions prior to 22.3R1-S2, 22.3R2.

Affected

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

Junos · Juniper Networks

95%

19.2 ≤ v < 19.2R3-S719.3 ≤ v < 19.3R3-S819.4 ≤ v < 19.4R3-S1220.2 ≤ v < 20.2R3-S820.4 ≤ v < 20.4R3-S721.1 ≤ v < 21.1R3-S521.2 ≤ v < 21.2R3-S421.3 ≤ v < 21.3R3-S321.4 ≤ v < 21.4R3-S222.1 ≤ v < 22.1R3-S122.2 ≤ v < 22.2R2-S1, 22.2R322.3 ≤ v < 22.3R1-S2, 22.3R219.2 19.2 r1 19.2 r1-s1 19.2 r1-s2 19.2 r1-s3 19.2 r1-s4 19.2 r1-s5 19.2 r1-s6 19.2 r1-s7 19.2 r1-s8 19.2 r1-s9 19.2 r2 19.2 r2-s1 19.2 r3 19.2 r3-s1 19.2 r3-s2 19.2 r3-s3 19.2 r3-s4 19.2 r3-s5 19.2 r3-s6 19.3 19.3 r1 19.3 r1-s1 19.3 r2 19.3 r2-s1 19.3 r2-s2 19.3 r2-s3 19.3 r2-s4 19.3 r2-s5 19.3 r2-s6 19.3 r2-s7 19.3 r3 19.3 r3-s1 19.3 r3-s2 19.3 r3-s3 19.3 r3-s4 19.3 r3-s5 19.3 r3-s6 19.3 r3-s7 19.4 19.4 r1 19.4 r1-s1 19.4 r1-s2 19.4 r1-s3 19.4 r1-s4 19.4 r2 19.4 r2-s1 19.4 r2-s2 19.4 r2-s3 19.4 r2-s4 19.4 r2-s5 19.4 r2-s6 19.4 r2-s7 19.4 r3 19.4 r3-s1 19.4 r3-s10 19.4 r3-s11 19.4 r3-s2 19.4 r3-s3 19.4 r3-s4 19.4 r3-s5 19.4 r3-s6 19.4 r3-s7 19.4 r3-s8 19.4 r3-s9 20.2 20.2 r1 20.2 r1-s1 20.2 r1-s2 20.2 r1-s3 20.2 r2 20.2 r2-s1 20.2 r2-s2 20.2 r2-s3 20.2 r3 20.2 r3-s1 20.2 r3-s2 20.2 r3-s3 20.2 r3-s4 20.2 r3-s5 20.2 r3-s6 20.2 r3-s7 20.4 20.4 r1 20.4 r1-s1 20.4 r2 20.4 r2-s1 20.4 r2-s2 20.4 r3 20.4 r3-s1 20.4 r3-s2 20.4 r3-s3 20.4 r3-s4 20.4 r3-s5 20.4 r3-s6 21.1 21.1 r1 21.1 r1-s1 21.1 r2 21.1 r2-s1 21.1 r2-s2 21.1 r3 21.1 r3-s1 21.1 r3-s2 21.1 r3-s3 21.1 r3-s4 21.2 21.2 r1 21.2 r1-s1 21.2 r1-s2 21.2 r2 21.2 r2-s1 21.2 r2-s2 21.2 r3 21.2 r3-s1 21.2 r3-s2 21.2 r3-s3 21.3 21.3 r1 21.3 r1-s1 21.3 r1-s2 21.3 r2 21.3 r2-s1 21.3 r2-s2 21.3 r3 21.3 r3-s1 21.3 r3-s2 21.4 21.4 r1 21.4 r1-s1 21.4 r1-s2 21.4 r2 21.4 r2-s1 21.4 r2-s2 21.4 r3 21.4 r3-s1 22.1 22.1 r1 22.1 r1-s1 22.1 r1-s2 22.1 r2 22.1 r2-s1 22.1 r2-s2 22.1 r3 22.2 22.2 r1 22.2 r1-s1 22.2 r1-s2 22.2 r2 22.3 22.3 r1 22.3 r1-s1

Affected range stops below 19.2R3-S7, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 19.3R3-S8, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 19.4R3-S12, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 20.2R3-S8, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 20.4R3-S7, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 21.1R3-S5, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 21.2R3-S4, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 21.3R3-S3, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 21.4R3-S2, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 22.1R3-S1, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 22.2R2-S1, 22.2R3, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 22.3R1-S2, 22.3R2, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

juniper-nfx150 (environment) · juniper-nfx250 (environment) · juniper-nfx350 (environment)

Nfx150 · Juniperdevice

80%

All versions

Nfx250 · Juniperdevice

80%

All versions

Nfx350 · Juniperdevice

80%

All versions

Remediation

No guide yet

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

Patch and advisory references

https://supportportal.juniper.net/JSA70596

References (1)

Vendor Advisory

Source: [email protected]

https://supportportal.juniper.net/JSA70596

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitNot automatablePartial impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

6.8MEDIUMjuniper

Attack Vector: PHYSICAL
Complexity: LOW
Privileges: NONE
User Interaction: NONE
Scope: UNCHANGED
Confidentiality: HIGH
Integrity: HIGH
Availability: HIGH

Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED

CWE

CWE-59

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