CVE-2021-0285: An uncontrolled resource consumption vulnerability in Juniper Networks Junos OS on QFX5000 Series and EX4600 Series switches allows an attacker sendin...

Description

An uncontrolled resource consumption vulnerability in Juniper Networks Junos OS on QFX5000 Series and EX4600 Series switches allows an attacker sending large amounts of legitimate traffic destined to the device to cause Interchassis Control Protocol (ICCP) interruptions, leading to an unstable control connection between the Multi-Chassis Link Aggregation Group (MC-LAG) nodes which can in turn lead to traffic loss. Continued receipt of this amount of traffic will create a sustained Denial of Service (DoS) condition. An indication that the system could be impacted by this issue is the following log message: "DDOS_PROTOCOL_VIOLATION_SET: Warning: Host-bound traffic for protocol/exception LOCALNH:aggregate exceeded its allowed bandwidth at fpc <fpc number> for <n> times, started at <timestamp>" This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS on QFX5000 Series and EX4600 Series: 15.1 versions prior to 15.1R7-S9; 17.3 versions prior to 17.3R3-S11; 17.4 versions prior to 17.4R2-S13, 17.4R3-S5; 18.3 versions prior to 18.3R3-S5; 18.4 versions prior to 18.4R2-S8, 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 19.3R2-S6, 19.3R3-S2; 19.4 versions prior to 19.4R1-S4, 19.4R2-S4, 19.4R3-S2; 20.1 versions prior to 20.1R2-S2, 20.1R3; 20.2 versions prior to 20.2R2-S3, 20.2R3; 20.3 versions prior to 20.3R2; 20.4 versions prior to 20.4R1-S1, 20.4R2.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

7.5/10

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

EPSS Probability

0.96%

57.0th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions	Update
Juniper	Junos	15.1	—
Juniper	Junos	17.3	—
Juniper	Junos	17.4	—
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
Juniper	Junos	20.4	R1

References

https://kb.juniper.net/JSA11187Vendor Advisory
https://kb.juniper.net/JSA11187Vendor Advisory

Timeline

Published: Jul 15, 2021
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-0285?

An uncontrolled resource consumption vulnerability in Juniper Networks Junos OS on QFX5000 Series and EX4600 Series switches allows an attacker sending large amounts of legitimate traffic destined to the device to cause Interchassis Control Protocol (ICCP) interruptions, leading to an unstable control connection between the Multi-Chassis Link Aggregation Group (MC-LAG) nodes which can in turn lead to traffic loss. Continued receipt of this amount of traffic will create a sustained Denial of Service (DoS) condition. An indication that the system could be impacted by this issue is the following log message: "DDOS_PROTOCOL_VIOLATION_SET: Warning: Host-bound traffic for protocol/exception LOCALNH:aggregate exceeded its allowed bandwidth at fpc <fpc number> for <n> times, started at <timestamp>" This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS on QFX5000 Series and EX4600 Series: 15.1 versions prior to 15.1R7-S9; 17.3 versions prior to 17.3R3-S11; 17.4 versions prior to 17.4R2-S13, 17.4R3-S5; 18.3 versions prior to 18.3R3-S5; 18.4 versions prior to 18.4R2-S8, 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 19.3R2-S6, 19.3R3-S2; 19.4 versions prior to 19.4R1-S4, 19.4R2-S4, 19.4R3-S2; 20.1 versions prior to 20.1R2-S2, 20.1R3; 20.2 versions prior to 20.2R2-S3, 20.2R3; 20.3 versions prior to 20.3R2; 20.4 versions prior to 20.4R1-S1, 20.4R2.

How severe is CVE-2021-0285?

CVE-2021-0285 has a CVSS score of 7.5/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.96% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2021-0285?

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.