CVE-2021-0253Junos OS: NFX Series: Local Command Execution Vulnerability in JDMD Leads to Privilege Escalation
- 7.8HighCVSS base score
- 0.55%Exploitation in 30 daysEPSS · top 54% of all CVEs
- NoKnown exploitednot in CISA's KEV catalog
- NonePublic exploitsnone known yet
Description
NFX Series devices using Juniper Networks Junos OS are susceptible to a local command execution vulnerability thereby allowing an attacker to elevate their privileges via the Junos Device Management Daemon (JDMD) process. This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS on NFX Series 17.2 version 17.2R1 and later versions prior to 18.3R3-S4; 18.4 versions prior to 18.4R2-S5, 18.4R3-S5; 19.1 versions prior to 19.1R1-S3; 19.2 version 19.1R2 and later versions prior to 19.2R3; 19.3 versions prior to 19.3R3; 19.4 versions prior to 19.4R2-S2. 19.4 versions 19.4R3 and above. This issue does not affect Juniper Networks Junos OS versions prior to 17.2R1. This issue does not affect the JDMD as used by Junos Node Slicing such as External Servers use in conjunction with Junos Node Slicing and In-Chassis Junos Node Slicing on MX480, MX960, MX2008, MX2010, MX2020.
Timeline
ID reserved
By juniper
- 6 months later
· 6 months later
Published
- 3 years later
· 3 years later
Record updated
Changes after publication (a new score, a public exploit, EPSS crossing 1, 10 or 50 %, leaving KEV) are kept since November 2026; earlier ones are not known.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| juniperCNA (assigner) | 3.1 | High7.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| NVDNVD · Modified | 3.1 | High7.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 0.55% · top 54% of all CVEs (14 Nov 2026)
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: High 7.8.
Affected products
- affected unspecified – < 18.3R3-S4
- affected 17.2R1 – < 17.2*
- affected 18.4 – < 18.4R2-S5, 18.4R3-S5
- affected 19.1 – < 19.1R1-S3
- affected 19.1R2 – < 19.2*
- affected 19.3 – < 19.3R3
- affected 19.4 – < 19.4R2-S2
- unaffected unspecified – < 17.2R1
What to do
Solution: The following software releases have been updated to resolve this specific issue: 18.3R3-S4, 18.4R2-S5, 18.4R3-S5, 19.1R3-S3, 19.2R3, 19.3R3, 19.4R2-S2, 20.1R1 and all subsequent releases.
Workaround: There are no viable workarounds for this issue. To reduce the risk of exploitation of this issue, use access lists or firewall filters to limit access to only trusted administrative networks, hosts and users.
Exploitation: Juniper SIRT is not aware of any malicious exploitation of this vulnerability.
References
References2
- https://kb.juniper.net/JSA11146 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- https://github.com/orangecertcc/security-research/security/advisories/GHSA-vrf9-cjcp-rwcr (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- EUVD EUVD-2021-2872 (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://cveledger.app/cve/CVE-2021-0253)Record last updated .