CVE-2017-2315 in Junos EX
Summary
by MITRE
On Juniper Networks EX Series Ethernet Switches running affected Junos OS versions, a vulnerability in IPv6 processing has been discovered that may allow a specially crafted IPv6 Neighbor Discovery (ND) packet destined to an EX Series Ethernet Switch to cause a slow memory leak. A malicious network-based packet flood of these crafted IPv6 NDP packets may eventually lead to resource exhaustion and a denial of service. The affected Junos OS versions are: 12.3 prior to 12.3R12-S4, 12.3R13; 13.3 prior to 13.3R10; 14.1 prior to 14.1R8-S3, 14.1R9; 14.1X53 prior ro 14.1X53-D12, 14.1X53-D40; 14.1X55 prior to 14.1X55-D35; 14.2 prior to 14.2R6-S4, 14.2R7-S6, 14.2R8; 15.1 prior to 15.1R5; 16.1 before 16.1R3; 16.2 before 16.2R1-S3, 16.2R2. 17.1R1 and all subsequent releases have a resolution for this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/29/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-2315 represents a critical memory leak flaw in Juniper Networks EX Series Ethernet Switches running specific Junos OS versions. This issue stems from insufficient input validation within the IPv6 Neighbor Discovery Protocol processing module, creating a path for malicious actors to exploit network resources through carefully crafted packet sequences. The vulnerability manifests when switches receive specially designed IPv6 Neighbor Discovery packets that trigger memory allocation patterns which fail to properly release allocated resources, leading to progressive memory consumption over time. This memory leak occurs specifically during the processing of IPv6 Neighbor Discovery messages, which are fundamental to IPv6 network operations and address resolution mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves network-based attackers flooding switches with crafted IPv6 Neighbor Discovery packets that contain malformed or specially constructed fields designed to trigger the memory leak condition. The flaw operates at the network protocol level within the switch's operating system kernel, where IPv6 processing functions do not properly handle memory deallocation for certain packet processing paths. This creates a gradual degradation of system resources as the switch continues to process these malicious packets, with each packet potentially consuming additional memory that is not subsequently freed. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the network infrastructure level, affecting core switching functionality and potentially impacting network availability for legitimate users.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-2315 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, as the memory leak can progress slowly over time until system resources are completely exhausted. Network administrators may observe gradual performance degradation before complete service disruption occurs, making detection challenging and potentially allowing attackers to maintain persistent resource exhaustion conditions. The vulnerability affects multiple Junos OS release streams, indicating a widespread issue across various product generations, and requires careful patch management across affected deployments. Organizations utilizing Juniper EX Series switches in mission-critical environments face significant risk of service interruption and potential business impact when this vulnerability remains unpatched.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-2315 primarily focus on applying official Juniper security patches and firmware updates that address the memory leak in IPv6 Neighbor Discovery processing. Network administrators should implement immediate patching of all affected Junos OS versions, with particular attention to the specific release numbers mentioned in the vulnerability description. Additionally, network segmentation and access control measures can provide temporary protection by limiting exposure to potentially malicious IPv6 Neighbor Discovery traffic. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-400 weakness category for unspecified resource management issues, and its exploitation pattern corresponds to attack techniques in the ATT&CK framework under network service scanning and resource exhaustion methods. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect abnormal packet patterns and memory usage trends that may indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to ensure complete remediation across all network infrastructure components.