Cyber Resilience

CVE-2025-59957

Juniper Junos ≤ 21.4

Published
09 October 2025
Modified
23 January 2026
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v4 7.0
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:4.0/AV:P/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:N/R:U/V:X/RE:H/U:X
EPSS Score 0.0017 7th percentile
Risk Priority 24 floored blend · peak EPSS

CVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.

Summary

CVE-2025-59957 is a high-severity Origin Validation Error (CWE-346) vulnerability in Juniper Junos. Its CVSS base score is 7.0 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique DHCP Spoofing (T1557.003); ranked at the 7th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to AC-4 (Information Flow Enforcement) and IA-3 (Device Identification and Authentication) — see the control section below for these in your framework.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

An Origin Validation Error vulnerability in an insufficient protected file of Juniper Networks Junos OS on EX4600 Series and QFX5000 Series allows an unauthenticated attacker with physical access to the device to create a backdoor which allows complete control of…

more

the system. When a device isn't configured with a root password, an attacker can modify a specific file. It's contents will be added to the Junos configuration of the device without being visible. This allows for the addition of any configuration unknown to the actual operator, which includes users, IP addresses and other configuration which could allow unauthorized access to the device. This exploit is persistent across reboots and even zeroization. The indicator of compromise is a modified /etc/config/<platform>-defaults[-flex].conf file. Review that file for unexpected configuration statements, or compare it to an unmodified version which can be extracted from the original Juniper software image file. For details on the extraction procedure please contact Juniper Technical Assistance Center (JTAC). To restore the device to a trusted initial configuration the system needs to be reinstalled from physical media. This issue affects Junos OS on EX4600 Series and QFX5000 Series: * All versions before 21.4R3, * 22.2 versions before 22.2R3-S3.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1557.003 DHCP Spoofing Credential Access
Adversaries may redirect network traffic to adversary-owned systems by spoofing Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) traffic and acting as a malicious DHCP server on the victim network.
T1557 Adversary-in-the-Middle Credential Access
Adversaries may attempt to position themselves between two or more networked devices using an adversary-in-the-middle (AiTM) technique to support follow-on behaviors such as [Network Sniffing](https://attack.
T1557.001 Name Resolution Poisoning and SMB Relay Credential Access
By responding to LLMNR/NBT-NS/mDNS network traffic, adversaries may spoof an authoritative source for name resolution to force communication with an adversary controlled system.
T1557.002 ARP Cache Poisoning Credential Access
Adversaries may poison Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) caches to position themselves between the communication of two or more networked devices.
T1557.004 Evil Twin Credential Access
Adversaries may host seemingly genuine Wi-Fi access points to deceive users into connecting to malicious networks as a way of supporting follow-on behaviors such as [Network Sniffing](https://attack.
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.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2024-39533Same product: Juniper Ex4600
CVE-2023-44190Same vendor: Juniper
CVE-2023-44189Same vendor: Juniper
CVE-2024-47498Same product: Juniper Qfx5110
CVE-2024-30388Same product: Juniper Ex4650
CVE-2026-21910Same product: Juniper Ex4600
CVE-2026-33781Same product: Juniper Ex4600
CVE-2025-30644Same product: Juniper Ex4600
CVE-2026-57029Same product: Juniper Qfx5110
CVE-2024-21595Same product: Juniper Ex4600

Affected Assets

juniper
junos
21.4, 22.2 · ≤ 21.4

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

—

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

—

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 3 hardening rules · 1 OS baseline
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)

—

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

Information flow enforcement directly requires validating the source of data before allowing transmission or receipt.

Device identification and authentication mandates verifying the source before establishing connections.

Session authenticity mechanisms require validation that communications originate from the expected party.

Boundary protection at interfaces enforces checks on the origin of incoming communications.

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.AA-03 mostly match
prevents

Authentication directly verifies the source of users/services/hardware, mitigating origin validation failures.

PR.AA-04 mostly match
prevents

Verifying identity assertions enforces origin validation for conveyed claims.

ID.AM-03 partial match
prevents

Documenting authorized flows supports origin validation by defining expected sources.

PR.IR-01 partial match
prevents

Protecting networks from unauthorized access requires origin checks on communication sources.

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.

mitigates

Network security controls enforce origin validation at network boundaries.

mitigates

Security of network services includes validating the authenticity of service endpoints.

mitigates

Network segregation reduces exposure but does not directly validate origins.

prevents

Application security requirements explicitly call for origin validation of inputs and communications.

prevents

Secure architecture principles encourage origin checks but do not mandate them.

prevents

Secure coding practices include implementing proper origin validation to prevent spoofing.

Hardening callouts derived

Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).

Oracle Linux 8 (3 rules)
  • V-248574 YUM must be configured to prevent the installation of patches, service packs, device drivers, or OL 8 system components that have not been digitally signed using a certificate that is recognized and approved by the organization. prevents CWE-346
  • V-248575 OL 8 must prevent the installation of software, patches, service packs, device drivers, or operating system components of local packages without verification they have been digitally signed using a certificate that is issued by a Certificate Authority (CA) that is recognized and approved by the organization. prevents CWE-346
  • V-248827 OL 8 must not have the rsh-server package installed. prevents CWE-346

References