CVE-2026-57028 in Junos OS Evolved
Summary
by MITRE • 07/10/2026
An Improper Restriction of Communication Channel to Intended Endpoints vulnerability in Juniper Networks Junos OS Evolved allows an unauthenticated, network-based attacker to cause license exhaustion.
Due to an incorrect initialization, a process which should only be able to communicate internally within the device, can be reached over the network via an open port. This leads to unauthorized access to the license management.
This issue affects all Junos OS Evolved versions before 23.2R2-EVO.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/10/2026
The vulnerability described represents a critical improper restriction of communication channel to intended endpoints flaw in Juniper Networks Junos OS Evolved that fundamentally compromises the device's licensing security model. This weakness stems from a design oversight where internal processes that should remain confined within the device's local communication channels are inadvertently exposed through network ports, creating an unauthorized access vector for attackers without requiring authentication credentials. The vulnerability specifically targets the license management functionality of the operating system, which is crucial for maintaining proper software authorization and feature access control across network infrastructure devices.
The technical root cause lies in the incorrect initialization of network communication processes within the Junos OS Evolved environment, where processes designated for internal device operations are improperly configured to accept external connections through open ports. This misconfiguration allows network-based attackers to establish connections with these privileged processes directly from external networks, bypassing normal authentication mechanisms and access controls that should normally restrict such communications to local system interfaces only. The flaw essentially creates a backdoor pathway through which unauthorized entities can interact with critical licensing components that manage software feature activation and usage limits.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables attackers to cause license exhaustion without any authentication requirements, potentially leading to complete service disruption and loss of critical device functionality. License exhaustion can result in the deactivation of essential features including security services, routing protocols, and management capabilities that are vital for network operations. The unauthorized access to license management systems also provides attackers with insights into the organization's software licensing strategy and could facilitate further attacks targeting specific feature sets or service levels that require valid licenses.
The vulnerability affects all Junos OS Evolved versions prior to 23.2R2-EVO, indicating this represents a long-standing issue within the product lineage that has persisted across multiple releases without proper remediation. This widespread impact suggests that organizations running older versions of the software may be exposed to this risk for extended periods, potentially creating opportunities for attackers to exploit the vulnerability before organizations implement necessary patches or workarounds. The lack of authentication requirements makes this particularly dangerous as it requires no specialized credentials or advanced techniques to exploit.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to Junos OS Evolved 23.2R2-EVO or later versions that contain the necessary fixes for this vulnerability. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to potentially affected ports until proper patches can be deployed. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-668 which specifically addresses improper restriction of communications channels, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1210 for gaining access through exploitation of a remote service. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive network scans to identify any exposed services that may be vulnerable to this class of attack and implement continuous monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts to licensing systems.
The security implications extend beyond immediate license exhaustion as attackers could potentially manipulate the licensing system to gain unauthorized access to premium features or services, effectively bypassing normal software authorization controls. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper process isolation and network communication configuration in enterprise network operating systems, where internal services must remain protected from external network threats through appropriate access controls and firewall policies that align with the principle of least privilege.