CVE-2021-0229: An uncontrolled resource consumption vulnerability in Message Queue Telemetry Transport (MQTT) server of Juniper Networks Junos OS allows an attacker ...

Description

An uncontrolled resource consumption vulnerability in Message Queue Telemetry Transport (MQTT) server of Juniper Networks Junos OS allows an attacker to cause MQTT server to crash and restart leading to a Denial of Service (DoS) by sending a stream of specific packets. A Juniper Extension Toolkit (JET) application designed with a listening port uses the Message Queue Telemetry Transport (MQTT) protocol to connect to a mosquitto broker that is running on Junos OS to subscribe for events. Continued receipt and processing of this packet will create a sustained Denial of Service (DoS) condition. This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS: 16.1R1 and later versions prior to 17.3R3-S11; 17.4 versions prior to 17.4R2-S13, 17.4R3-S4; 18.1 versions prior to 18.1R3-S12; 18.2 versions prior to 18.2R2-S8, 18.2R3-S7; 18.3 versions prior to 18.3R3-S4; 18.4 versions prior to 18.4R1-S8, 18.4R2-S7, 18.4R3-S7; 19.1 versions prior to 19.1R3-S5; 19.2 versions prior to 19.2R1-S6, 19.2R3-S2; 19.3 versions prior to 19.3R3-S2; 19.4 versions prior to 19.4R2-S4, 19.4R3-S2; 20.1 versions prior to 20.1R2-S1, 20.1R3; 20.2 versions prior to 20.2R2-S2, 20.2R3; 20.3 versions prior to 20.3R1-S1, 20.3R2. This issue does not affect Juniper Networks Junos OS versions prior to 16.1R1.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

5.3/10

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

EPSS Probability

1.16%

63.0th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions	Update
Juniper	Junos	16.1	R1
Juniper	Junos	16.2	—
Juniper	Junos	17.1	—
Juniper	Junos	17.2	—
Juniper	Junos	17.3	—
Juniper	Junos	17.4	—
Juniper	Junos	18.1	—
Juniper	Junos	18.2	—
Juniper	Junos	18.3	—
Juniper	Junos	18.4	—
Juniper	Junos	19.1	—
Juniper	Junos	19.2	—
Juniper	Junos	19.3	—
Juniper	Junos	19.4	R1
Juniper	Junos	20.1	R1
Juniper	Junos	20.2	R1
Juniper	Junos	20.3	R1

References

https://kb.juniper.net/JSA11124Vendor Advisory
https://kb.juniper.net/JSA11124Vendor Advisory

Timeline

Published: Apr 22, 2021
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-0229?

An uncontrolled resource consumption vulnerability in Message Queue Telemetry Transport (MQTT) server of Juniper Networks Junos OS allows an attacker to cause MQTT server to crash and restart leading to a Denial of Service (DoS) by sending a stream of specific packets. A Juniper Extension Toolkit (JET) application designed with a listening port uses the Message Queue Telemetry Transport (MQTT) protocol to connect to a mosquitto broker that is running on Junos OS to subscribe for events. Continued receipt and processing of this packet will create a sustained Denial of Service (DoS) condition. This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS: 16.1R1 and later versions prior to 17.3R3-S11; 17.4 versions prior to 17.4R2-S13, 17.4R3-S4; 18.1 versions prior to 18.1R3-S12; 18.2 versions prior to 18.2R2-S8, 18.2R3-S7; 18.3 versions prior to 18.3R3-S4; 18.4 versions prior to 18.4R1-S8, 18.4R2-S7, 18.4R3-S7; 19.1 versions prior to 19.1R3-S5; 19.2 versions prior to 19.2R1-S6, 19.2R3-S2; 19.3 versions prior to 19.3R3-S2; 19.4 versions prior to 19.4R2-S4, 19.4R3-S2; 20.1 versions prior to 20.1R2-S1, 20.1R3; 20.2 versions prior to 20.2R2-S2, 20.2R3; 20.3 versions prior to 20.3R1-S1, 20.3R2. This issue does not affect Juniper Networks Junos OS versions prior to 16.1R1.

How severe is CVE-2021-0229?

CVE-2021-0229 has a CVSS score of 5.3/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 1.16% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2021-0229?

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.