CVE-2018-0062 in Junos
Summary
by MITRE
A Denial of Service vulnerability in J-Web service may allow a remote unauthenticated user to cause Denial of Service which may prevent other users to authenticate or to perform J-Web operations. Affected releases are Juniper Networks Junos OS: 12.1X46 versions prior to 12.1X46-D77 on SRX Series; 12.3 versions prior to 12.3R12-S10; 12.3X48 versions prior to 12.3X48-D60 on SRX Series; 15.1 versions prior to 15.1R7; 15.1F6; 15.1X49 versions prior to 15.1X49-D120 on SRX Series; 15.1X53 versions prior to 15.1X53-D59 on EX2300/EX3400 Series; 15.1X53 versions prior to 15.1X53-D67 on QFX10K Series; 15.1X53 versions prior to 15.1X53-D234 on QFX5200/QFX5110 Series; 15.1X53 versions prior to 15.1X53-D470, 15.1X53-D495 on NFX Series; 16.1 versions prior to 16.1R6; 16.2 versions prior to 16.2R2-S6, 16.2R3; 17.1 versions prior to 17.1R2-S6, 17.1R3; 17.2 versions prior to 17.2R3; 17.3 versions prior to 17.3R2. No other Juniper Networks products or platforms are affected by this issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/25/2023
The CVE-2018-0062 vulnerability represents a critical denial of service weakness within Juniper Networks J-Web service that affects multiple versions of Junos OS across various hardware platforms including SRX Series firewalls, EX2300/EX3400 switches, QFX10K switches, QFX5200/QFX5110 switches, and NFX series devices. This vulnerability specifically targets the web-based management interface that administrators use to configure and monitor network devices, creating a significant operational risk when exploited by remote unauthenticated attackers. The flaw allows malicious actors to disrupt normal service operations without requiring any authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous in network environments where physical security measures may be insufficient.
Technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through malformed or specially crafted requests sent to the J-Web service, which causes the web server process to crash or become unresponsive. The root cause lies in insufficient input validation and error handling mechanisms within the J-Web component of Junos OS, where the system fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before processing. This weakness creates a condition where a single malicious request can trigger a cascade of failures that prevent legitimate users from accessing the web interface or performing authentication operations. The vulnerability manifests as a complete service disruption that affects all J-Web functionality including user authentication, configuration management, and operational monitoring capabilities.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-0062 extends beyond simple service interruption to potentially compromise network security operations and administrative efficiency. When the J-Web service becomes unavailable, network administrators lose their primary means of configuring and monitoring devices, forcing them to rely on alternative access methods such as command-line interfaces or physical console access. This situation creates operational delays in response to network incidents and can prevent timely configuration changes during critical security events. The vulnerability affects multiple product lines including SRX Series firewalls, EX2300/EX3400 switches, QFX10K switches, QFX5200/QFX5110 switches, and NFX series devices, creating widespread potential impact across enterprise network infrastructures. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-20: Improper Input Validation, which is a fundamental weakness in software design that allows malicious inputs to cause unexpected behavior. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that the exploit requires no authentication, making it accessible to any remote user with network connectivity to the affected devices.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-0062 should prioritize immediate implementation of vendor-provided security patches and firmware updates that address the input validation issues in J-Web service. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to J-Web interfaces to trusted administrative networks only, while disabling unnecessary web services on network devices where possible. Additional protective measures include implementing intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious traffic patterns targeting J-Web services, configuring access control lists to restrict access to web management interfaces, and establishing monitoring procedures to detect service disruptions that could indicate exploitation attempts. Network administrators should also consider implementing redundant access methods and maintaining detailed operational procedures for device recovery in case of service disruption. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190: Exploit Public-Facing Application, which describes how attackers target web applications to gain unauthorized access or disrupt services. Organizations should also conduct regular vulnerability assessments to identify other potential weaknesses in their network infrastructure that could be exploited in similar fashion, while maintaining updated network security policies that address the specific threat landscape presented by unauthenticated remote code execution and denial of service vulnerabilities in network management interfaces.