CVE-2023-44191Network attack vector

Network service interruption via DHCP-triggered PFE hogging

Published Oct 12, 2023 · Updated Sep 19, 2024

Resource exhaustion in Juniper Networks Junos OS 21.1 through 22.4 allows remote attackers to interrupt socket connections via DHCP. On QFX5000 and EX4000 switches with a high number of configured VLANs, a specific DHCP packet causes Packet Forwarding Engine hogging and socket drops. The packet is reachable without authentication over the network, and the documented consequence is service interruption rather than data access or modification.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.52%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Resource exhaustion in Juniper Networks Junos OS 21.1 through 22.4 allows remote attackers to interrupt socket connections via DHCP. On QFX5000 and EX4000 switches with a high number of configured VLANs, a specific DHCP packet causes Packet Forwarding Engine hogging and socket drops. The packet is reachable without authentication over the network, and the documented consequence is service interruption rather than data access or modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-44191
Published
Oct 12, 2023
Updated
Sep 19, 2024
Vendor
Juniper Networks
Product
Junos OS
Classifications
CWE-770, T1498
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 12, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 19, 2024Record 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=0 <21.1r1
  2. Affected versionversion=21.1 <21.1r3-s5
  3. Affected versionversion=21.1 <21.1R3-S5
  4. Affected versionversion=21.2 <21.2r3-s5
  5. Affected versionversion=21.2 <21.2R3-S5
  6. Affected versionversion=21.3 <21.3r3-s5
  7. Affected versionversion=21.3 <21.3R3-S5
  8. Affected versionversion=21.4 <21.4r3-s4
  9. Affected versionversion=21.4 <21.4R3-S4
  10. Affected versionversion=22.1 <22.1R3-S3
  11. Affected versionversion=22.1 <ss.1r3-s3
  12. Affected versionversion=22.2 <22.2r3-s1
  13. Affected versionversion=22.2 <22.2R3-S1
  14. Affected versionversion=22.3 <22.3r2-s2
  15. Affected versionversion=22.3 <22.3R2-S2, 22.3R3
  16. Affected versionversion=22.4 <22.4r2
  17. Affected versionversion=22.4 <22.4R2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Juniper Networks · Junos OSversion=0 <21.1r1; version=21.1 <21.1r3-s5; version=21.1 <21.1R3-S5; version=21.2 <21.2r3-s5; version=21.2 <21.2R3-S5; version=21.3 <21.3r3-s5; version=21.3 <21.3R3-S5; version=21.4 <21.4r3-s4; version=21.4 <21.4R3-S4; version=22.1 <22.1R3-S3; version=22.1 <ss.1r3-s3; version=22.2 <22.2r3-s1; version=22.2 <22.2R3-S1; version=22.3 <22.3r2-s2; version=22.3 <22.3R2-S2, 22.3R3; version=22.4 <22.4r2; version=22.4 <22.4R2

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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-770Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling
T1498Network Denial of Service

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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