Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-44182

Juniper Junos ≤ 20.4

Published
13 October 2023
Modified
21 November 2024
Patch / advisory
View advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 7.3
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
EPSS Score 0.0058 45th percentile
Risk Priority 55 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2023-44182 is a high-severity Unchecked Return Value (CWE-252) vulnerability in Juniper Junos. Its CVSS base score is 7.3 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Privilege Escalation (T1068); ranked at the 45th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

A10:2025 Mishandling of Exceptional Conditions

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

An Unchecked Return Value vulnerability in the user interfaces to the Juniper Networks Junos OS and Junos OS Evolved, the CLI, the XML API, the XML Management Protocol, the NETCONF Management Protocol, the gNMI interfaces, and the J-Web User Interfaces…

more

causes unintended effects such as demotion or elevation of privileges associated with an operators actions to occur. Multiple scenarios may occur; for example: privilege escalation over the device or another account, access to files that should not otherwise be accessible, files not being accessible where they should be accessible, code expected to run as non-root may run as root, and so forth. This issue affects: Juniper Networks Junos OS * All versions prior to 20.4R3-S7; * 21.1 versions prior to 21.1R3-S5; * 21.2 versions prior to 21.2R3-S5; * 21.3 versions prior to 21.3R3-S4; * 21.4 versions prior to 21.4R3-S3; * 22.1 versions prior to 22.1R3-S2; * 22.2 versions prior to 22.2R2-S2, 22.2R3; * 22.3 versions prior to 22.3R1-S2, 22.3R2. Juniper Networks Junos OS Evolved * All versions prior to 21.4R3-S3-EVO; * 22.1-EVO version 22.1R1-EVO and later versions prior to 22.2R2-S2-EVO, 22.2R3-EVO; * 22.3-EVO versions prior to 22.3R1-S2-EVO, 22.3R2-EVO.

CWE(s)
CWE-252

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation Privilege Escalation
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to elevate privileges.
attack.mitre.org →
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
attack.mitre.org →
T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution Execution
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in client applications to execute code.
attack.mitre.org →
T1210 Exploitation of Remote Services Lateral Movement
Adversaries may exploit remote services to gain unauthorized access to internal systems once inside of a network.
attack.mitre.org →
T1212 Exploitation for Credential Access Credential Access
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to collect credentials.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2024-39558Same product: Juniper Junos
CVE-2024-30386Same product: Juniper Junos
CVE-2024-30395Same product: Juniper Junos
CVE-2026-21921Same product: Juniper Junos
CVE-2025-30646Same product: Juniper Junos
CVE-2024-39543Same product: Juniper Junos
CVE-2025-30653Same product: Juniper Junos
CVE-2025-30651Same product: Juniper Junos
CVE-2025-52955Same product: Juniper Junos
CVE-2023-28980Same product: Juniper Junos

Affected Assets

juniper
junos
20.4, 21.1, 21.2, 21.3, 21.4 · ≤ 20.4
juniper
junos os evolved
21.4, 22.1, 22.2, 22.3 · ≤ 21.4

Mitigating Controls

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure SDLC practices directly require checking and handling all function return values to detect error conditions.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

A.8.29 Security testing in development and acceptance mostly match
finds

Security testing in development and acceptance can detect missing return-value checks.

A.8.25 Secure development life cycle partial match
prevents

Secure development life cycle mandates verification of return values to prevent undetected failures.

A.8.26 Application security requirements partial match
prevents

Application security requirements include input/output validation and error handling that covers return-value checks.

A.8.27 Secure system architecture and engineering principles partial match
degrades

Secure system architecture and engineering principles require robust error handling and defensive coding practices.

A.8.28 Secure coding partial match
prevents

Secure coding explicitly requires checking return values to avoid CWE-252.

References