CVE-2021-0215
Junos OS: EX Series, QFX Series, SRX Branch Series, MX Series: Memory leak in packet forwarding engine due to 802.1X authenticator port interface flaps
On Juniper Networks Junos EX series, QFX Series, MX Series and SRX branch series devices, a memory leak occurs every time the 802.1X authenticator port interface flaps which can lead to other processes, such as the pfex process, responsible for packet forwarding, to crash and restart. An administrator can use the following CLI command to monitor the status of memory consumption: user@device> show task memory detail Please refer to https://kb.juniper.net/KB31522 for details. This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS: 14.1X53 versions prior to 14.1X53-D54; 15.1X49 versions prior to 15.1X49-D240 ; 15.1X53 versions prior to 15.1X53-D593; 16.1 versions prior to 16.1R7-S8; 17.2 versions prior to 17.2R3-S4; 17.3 versions prior to 17.3R3-S8; 17.4 versions prior to 17.4R2-S11, 17.4R3-S2; 18.1 versions prior to 18.1R3-S10 ; 18.2 versions prior to 18.2R2-S7, 18.2R3-S3; 18.3 versions prior to 18.3R2-S4, 18.3R3-S2; 18.4 versions prior to 18.4R1-S7, 18.4R2-S4, 18.4R3-S2; 19.1 versions prior to 19.1R1-S5, 19.1R2-S2, 19.1R3; 19.2 versions prior to 19.2R1-S5, 19.2R2; 19.3 versions prior to 19.3R2-S3, 19.3R3; 19.4 versions prior to 19.4R1-S2, 19.4R2. This issue does not affect Juniper Networks Junos OS 12.3, 15.1.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Adjacent network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
6.5
Junos OS: EX Series, QFX Series, SRX Branch Series, MX Series: Memory leak in packet forwarding engine due to 802.1X authenticator port interface flaps
On Juniper Networks Junos EX series, QFX Series, MX Series and SRX branch series devices, a memory leak occurs every time the 802.1X authenticator port interface flaps which can lead to other processes, such as the pfex process, responsible for packet forwarding, to crash and restart. An administrator can use the following CLI command to monitor the status of memory consumption: user@device> show task memory detail Please refer to https://kb.juniper.net/KB31522 for details. This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS: 14.1X53 versions prior to 14.1X53-D54; 15.1X49 versions prior to 15.1X49-D240 ; 15.1X53 versions prior to 15.1X53-D593; 16.1 versions prior to 16.1R7-S8; 17.2 versions prior to 17.2R3-S4; 17.3 versions prior to 17.3R3-S8; 17.4 versions prior to 17.4R2-S11, 17.4R3-S2; 18.1 versions prior to 18.1R3-S10 ; 18.2 versions prior to 18.2R2-S7, 18.2R3-S3; 18.3 versions prior to 18.3R2-S4, 18.3R3-S2; 18.4 versions prior to 18.4R1-S7, 18.4R2-S4, 18.4R3-S2; 19.1 versions prior to 19.1R1-S5, 19.1R2-S2, 19.1R3; 19.2 versions prior to 19.2R1-S5, 19.2R2; 19.3 versions prior to 19.3R2-S3, 19.3R3; 19.4 versions prior to 19.4R1-S2, 19.4R2. This issue does not affect Juniper Networks Junos OS 12.3, 15.1.
- Record
CVE-2021-0215- CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-400
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-2834
6.5
On Juniper Networks Junos EX series, QFX Series, MX Series and SRX branch series devices, a memory leak occurs every time the 802.1X authenticator port interface flaps which can lead to other processes, such as the pfex process, responsible for packet forwarding, to crash and restart. An administrator can use the following CLI command to monitor the status of memory consumption: user@device> show task memory detail Please refer to https://kb.juniper.net/KB31522 for details. This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS: 14.1X53 versions prior to 14.1X53-D54; 15.1X49 versions prior to 15.1X49-D240 ; 15.1X53 versions prior to 15.1X53-D593; 16.1 versions prior to 16.1R7-S8; 17.2 versions prior to 17.2R3-S4; 17.3 versions prior to 17.3R3-S8; 17.4 versions prior to 17.4R2-S11, 17.4R3-S2; 18.1 versions prior to 18.1R3-S10 ; 18.2 versions prior to 18.2R2-S7, 18.2R3-S3; 18.3 versions prior to 18.3R2-S4, 18.3R3-S2; 18.4 versions prior to 18.4R1-S7, 18.4R2-S4, 18.4R3-S2; 19.1 versions prior to 19.1R1-S5, 19.1R2-S2, 19.1R3; 19.2 versions prior to 19.2R1-S5, 19.2R2; 19.3 versions prior to 19.3R2-S3, 19.3R3; 19.4 versions prior to 19.4R1-S2, 19.4R2. This issue does not affect Juniper Networks Junos OS 12.3, 15.1.
- Record
EUVD-2021-2834- CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-jhpm-gp3g-mq3h
6.5
On Juniper Networks Junos EX series, QFX Series and SRX branch series devices, a memory leak...
On Juniper Networks Junos EX series, QFX Series and SRX branch series devices, a memory leak occurs every time the 802.1X authenticator port interface flaps which can lead to other processes, such as the pfex process, responsible for packet forwarding, to crash and restart. An administrator can use the following CLI command to monitor the status of memory consumption: user@device> show task memory detail Please refer to https://kb.juniper.net/KB31522 for details. This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS: 14.1X53 versions prior to 14.1X53-D54; 15.1X49 versions prior to 15.1X49-D240 ; 15.1X53 versions prior to 15.1X53-D593; 16.1 versions prior to 16.1R7-S8; 17.2 versions prior to 17.2R3-S4; 17.3 versions prior to 17.3R3-S8; 17.4 versions prior to 17.4R2-S11, 17.4R3-S2; 18.1 versions prior to 18.1R3-S10 ; 18.2 versions prior to 18.2R2-S7, 18.2R3-S3; 18.3 versions prior to 18.3R2-S4, 18.3R3-S2; 18.4 versions prior to 18.4R1-S7, 18.4R2-S4, 18.4R3-S2; 19.1 versions prior to 19.1R1-S5, 19.1R2-S2, 19.1R3; 19.2 versions prior to 19.2R1-S5, 19.2R2; 19.3 versions prior to 19.3R2-S3, 19.3R3; 19.4 versions prior to 19.4R1-S2, 19.4R2. This issue does not affect Juniper Networks Junos OS 12.3, 15.1.
- Record
GHSA-jhpm-gp3g-mq3h- CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-401, CWE-772
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
6.5
On Juniper Networks Junos EX series, QFX Series, MX Series and SRX branch series devices, a memory leak occurs every time the 802.1X authenticator port interface flaps which can lead to other processes, such as the pfex process, responsible for packet forwarding, to crash and restart. An administrator can use the following CLI command to monitor the status of memory consumption: user@device> show task memory detail Please refer to https://kb.juniper.net/KB31522 for details. This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS: 14.1X53 versions prior to 14.1X53-D54; 15.1X49 versions prior to 15.1X49-D240 ; 15.1X53 versions prior to 15.1X53-D593; 16.1 versions prior to 16.1R7-S8; 17.2 versions prior to 17.2R3-S4; 17.3 versions prior to 17.3R3-S8; 17.4 versions prior to 17.4R2-S11, 17.4R3-S2; 18.1 versions prior to 18.1R3-S10 ; 18.2 versions prior to 18.2R2-S7, 18.2R3-S3; 18.3 versions prior to 18.3R2-S4, 18.3R3-S2; 18.4 versions prior to 18.4R1-S7, 18.4R2-S4, 18.4R3-S2; 19.1 versions prior to 19.1R1-S5, 19.1R2-S2, 19.1R3; 19.2 versions prior to 19.2R1-S5, 19.2R2; 19.3 versions prior to 19.3R2-S3, 19.3R3; 19.4 versions prior to 19.4R1-S2, 19.4R2. This issue does not affect Juniper Networks Junos OS 12.3, 15.1.
- Record
CVE-2021-0215- CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 2.9 Low
AV:A/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-400, CWE-401
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| facts | ||
| aliases, published | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2021-0215 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.5) in Juniper Junos, published January 15, 2021. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.80%, the 57th percentile. No source names a fixed version.