CVE-2019-0035: When "set system ports console insecure" is enabled, root login is disallowed for Junos OS as expected. However, the root password can be changed usin...

Description

When "set system ports console insecure" is enabled, root login is disallowed for Junos OS as expected. However, the root password can be changed using "set system root-authentication plain-text-password" on systems booted from an OAM (Operations, Administration, and Maintenance) volume, leading to a possible administrative bypass with physical access to the console. OAM volumes (e.g. flash drives) are typically instantiated as /dev/gpt/oam, or /oam for short. Password recovery, changing the root password from a console, should not have been allowed from an insecure console. Affected releases are Juniper Networks Junos OS: 15.1 versions prior to 15.1F6-S12, 15.1R7-S3; 15.1X49 versions prior to 15.1X49-D160; 15.1X53 versions prior to 15.1X53-D236, 15.1X53-D496, 15.1X53-D68; 16.1 versions prior to 16.1R3-S10, 16.1R6-S6, 16.1R7-S3; 16.1X65 versions prior to 16.1X65-D49; 16.2 versions prior to 16.2R2-S8; 17.1 versions prior to 17.1R2-S10, 17.1R3; 17.2 versions prior to 17.2R1-S8, 17.2R3-S1; 17.3 versions prior to 17.3R3-S3; 17.4 versions prior to 17.4R1-S6, 17.4R2-S2; 18.1 versions prior to 18.1R2-S4, 18.1R3-S3; 18.2 versions prior to 18.2R2; 18.2X75 versions prior to 18.2X75-D40; 18.3 versions prior to 18.3R1-S2. This issue does not affect Junos OS releases prior to 15.1.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

6.8/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability

0.40%

31.9th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions	Update
Juniper	Junos	15.1	F2
Juniper	Junos	15.1x49	D10
Juniper	Junos	15.1x53	D10
Juniper	Junos	16.1	R1
Juniper	Junos	17.3	R1
Juniper	Junos	17.2	R1
Juniper	Junos	17.4	R1
Juniper	Junos	18.1	R1
Juniper	Junos	18.2	R1
Juniper	Junos	18.3	R1
Juniper	Junos	18.2x75	—
Juniper	Junos	16.1x65	D30
Juniper	Junos	17.1	R1
Juniper	Junos	16.2	R1

References

https://kb.juniper.net/JSA10924Vendor Advisory
https://kb.juniper.net/JSA10924Vendor Advisory

Timeline

Published: Apr 10, 2019
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2019-0035?

When "set system ports console insecure" is enabled, root login is disallowed for Junos OS as expected. However, the root password can be changed using "set system root-authentication plain-text-password" on systems booted from an OAM (Operations, Administration, and Maintenance) volume, leading to a possible administrative bypass with physical access to the console. OAM volumes (e.g. flash drives) are typically instantiated as /dev/gpt/oam, or /oam for short. Password recovery, changing the root password from a console, should not have been allowed from an insecure console. Affected releases are Juniper Networks Junos OS: 15.1 versions prior to 15.1F6-S12, 15.1R7-S3; 15.1X49 versions prior to 15.1X49-D160; 15.1X53 versions prior to 15.1X53-D236, 15.1X53-D496, 15.1X53-D68; 16.1 versions prior to 16.1R3-S10, 16.1R6-S6, 16.1R7-S3; 16.1X65 versions prior to 16.1X65-D49; 16.2 versions prior to 16.2R2-S8; 17.1 versions prior to 17.1R2-S10, 17.1R3; 17.2 versions prior to 17.2R1-S8, 17.2R3-S1; 17.3 versions prior to 17.3R3-S3; 17.4 versions prior to 17.4R1-S6, 17.4R2-S2; 18.1 versions prior to 18.1R2-S4, 18.1R3-S3; 18.2 versions prior to 18.2R2; 18.2X75 versions prior to 18.2X75-D40; 18.3 versions prior to 18.3R1-S2. This issue does not affect Junos OS releases prior to 15.1.

How severe is CVE-2019-0035?

CVE-2019-0035 has a CVSS score of 6.8/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.40% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2019-0035?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.