CVE-2022-22231Network attack vector

Unauthenticated PFE restart via unchecked return value

Published Oct 18, 2022 · Updated May 12, 2025

NULL pointer dereference in Junos OS 21.4 before 21.4R1-S2 or 21.4R2 allows remote attackers to restart the PFE with transit traffic. The Packet Forwarding Engine fails to check a return value before dereferencing it when handling specific valid transit traffic. Both UTM Enhanced Content Filtering and AntiVirus must be configured; the resulting crash restarts the PFE and interrupts forwarding.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.66%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in Junos OS 21.4 before 21.4R1-S2 or 21.4R2 allows remote attackers to restart the PFE with transit traffic. The Packet Forwarding Engine fails to check a return value before dereferencing it when handling specific valid transit traffic. Both UTM Enhanced Content Filtering and AntiVirus must be configured; the resulting crash restarts the PFE and interrupts forwarding.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-22231
Published
Oct 18, 2022
Updated
May 12, 2025
Vendor
Juniper Networks
Product
Junos OS
Classifications
CWE-690, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 18, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 12, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=21.4 <21.4R1-S2, 21.4R2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Juniper Networks · Junos OSversion=21.4 <21.4R1-S2, 21.4R2

Published CVSS scores

7.5Juniper NetworksCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-690Unchecked Return Value to NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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