CVE-2023-36848: An Improper Handling of Undefined Values vulnerability in the periodic packet management daemon (PPMD) of Juniper Networks Junos OS on MX Series(excep...

Description

An Improper Handling of Undefined Values vulnerability in the periodic packet management daemon (PPMD) of Juniper Networks Junos OS on MX Series(except MPC10, MPC11 and LC9600) allows an unauthenticated adjacent attacker to cause a Denial of Service (DoS). When a malformed CFM packet is received, it leads to an FPC crash. Continued receipt of these packets causes a sustained denial of service. This vulnerability occurs only when CFM has been configured on the interface. This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS: versions prior to 19.1R3-S10 on MX Series; 19.2 versions prior to 19.2R3-S7 on MX Series; 19.3 versions prior to 19.3R3-S8 on MX Series; 19.4 versions prior to 19.4R3-S12 on MX Series; 20.1 version 20.1R1 and later versions on MX Series; 20.2 versions prior to 20.2R3-S8 on MX Series; 20.3 version 20.3R1 and later versions on MX Series; 20.4 versions prior to 20.4R3-S7 on MX Series; 21.1 versions prior to 21.1R3-S5 on MX Series; 21.2 versions prior to 21.2R3-S5 on MX Series; 21.3 versions prior to 21.3R3-S4 on MX Series; 21.4 versions prior to 21.4R3-S4 on MX Series; 22.1 versions prior to 22.1R3-S3 on MX Series; 22.2 versions prior to 22.2R3-S1 on MX Series; 22.3 versions prior to 22.3R3 on MX Series; 22.4 versions prior to 22.4R1-S2, 22.4R2 on MX Series.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

6.5/10

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

EPSS Probability

0.27%

18.6th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-232

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions	Update
Juniper	Junos	19.1	—
Juniper	Junos	19.2	—
Juniper	Junos	19.3	—
Juniper	Junos	19.4	—
Juniper	Junos	20.1	—
Juniper	Junos	20.2	—
Juniper	Junos	20.3	—
Juniper	Junos	20.4	—
Juniper	Junos	21.1	—
Juniper	Junos	21.2	—
Juniper	Junos	21.3	—
Juniper	Junos	21.4	—
Juniper	Junos	22.1	R1
Juniper	Junos	22.2	R1
Juniper	Junos	22.3	R1
Juniper	Junos	22.4	R1

References

https://supportportal.juniper.net/JSA71659Vendor Advisory
https://supportportal.juniper.net/JSA71659Vendor Advisory

Timeline

Published: Jul 14, 2023
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-36848?

An Improper Handling of Undefined Values vulnerability in the periodic packet management daemon (PPMD) of Juniper Networks Junos OS on MX Series(except MPC10, MPC11 and LC9600) allows an unauthenticated adjacent attacker to cause a Denial of Service (DoS). When a malformed CFM packet is received, it leads to an FPC crash. Continued receipt of these packets causes a sustained denial of service. This vulnerability occurs only when CFM has been configured on the interface. This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS: versions prior to 19.1R3-S10 on MX Series; 19.2 versions prior to 19.2R3-S7 on MX Series; 19.3 versions prior to 19.3R3-S8 on MX Series; 19.4 versions prior to 19.4R3-S12 on MX Series; 20.1 version 20.1R1 and later versions on MX Series; 20.2 versions prior to 20.2R3-S8 on MX Series; 20.3 version 20.3R1 and later versions on MX Series; 20.4 versions prior to 20.4R3-S7 on MX Series; 21.1 versions prior to 21.1R3-S5 on MX Series; 21.2 versions prior to 21.2R3-S5 on MX Series; 21.3 versions prior to 21.3R3-S4 on MX Series; 21.4 versions prior to 21.4R3-S4 on MX Series; 22.1 versions prior to 22.1R3-S3 on MX Series; 22.2 versions prior to 22.2R3-S1 on MX Series; 22.3 versions prior to 22.3R3 on MX Series; 22.4 versions prior to 22.4R1-S2, 22.4R2 on MX Series.

How severe is CVE-2023-36848?

CVE-2023-36848 has a CVSS score of 6.5/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.27% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2023-36848?

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.