CVE-2025-52983Network attack vector

Root access via retained SSH key authorization

Published Jul 11, 2025 · Updated Feb 26, 2026

Authentication-state discrepancy in affected Junos OS releases on VM Host systems allows remote attackers with a retained private key to log in as root. The VM Host Routing Engine continues accepting the corresponding SSH key after its root public-key configuration is removed. Exposure requires prior root SSH public-key configuration and possession of that key's private half, granting full device administration.

CVSS severity8.6
High
EPSS probability0.60%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Authentication-state discrepancy in affected Junos OS releases on VM Host systems allows remote attackers with a retained private key to log in as root. The VM Host Routing Engine continues accepting the corresponding SSH key after its root public-key configuration is removed. Exposure requires prior root SSH public-key configuration and possession of that key's private half, granting full device administration.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-52983
Published
Jul 11, 2025
Updated
Feb 26, 2026
Vendor
Juniper Networks
Product
Junos OS
Classifications
CWE-446, T1078
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 11, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 26, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <22.2R3-S7
  2. Affected versionversion=22.4 <22.4R3-S5
  3. Affected versionversion=23.2 <23.2R2-S3
  4. Affected versionversion=23.4 <23.4R2-S3
  5. Affected versionversion=24.2 <24.2R1-S2, 24.2R2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Juniper Networks · Junos OSversion=0 <22.2R3-S7; version=22.4 <22.4R3-S5; version=23.2 <23.2R2-S3; version=23.4 <23.4R2-S3; version=24.2 <24.2R1-S2, 24.2R2

Published CVSS scores

8.6Juniper NetworksCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/R:U/RE:M
7.2Juniper NetworksCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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-446UI Discrepancy for Security Feature
T1078Valid Accounts

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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