VPN connection denial via malformed ISAKMP packet
Published Apr 9, 2026 · Updated Apr 9, 2026
Input validation failure in Juniper Networks Junos OS allows remote attackers to crash kmd or iked with a malformed ISAKMP packet. The IPsec library used by kmd and iked accepts a syntactically malformed first initiator packet instead of rejecting it, causing the process to restart. No authentication or user interaction is required; one packet briefly blocks new security associations, while repeated packets prevent new VPN connections.
Summary
What happened
Input validation failure in Juniper Networks Junos OS allows remote attackers to crash kmd or iked with a malformed ISAKMP packet. The IPsec library used by kmd and iked accepts a syntactically malformed first initiator packet instead of rejecting it, causing the process to restart. No authentication or user interaction is required; one packet briefly blocks new security associations, while repeated packets prevent new VPN connections.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-33778
- Published
- Apr 9, 2026
- Updated
- Apr 9, 2026
- Vendor
- Juniper Networks
- Product
- Junos OS
- Classifications
- CWE-1286, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Apr 9, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 9, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
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- Affected versionversion=0 <22.4R3-S9
- Affected versionversion=23.2 <23.2R2-S6
- Affected versionversion=23.4 <23.4R2-S7
- Affected versionversion=24.2 <24.2R2-S4
- Affected versionversion=24.4 <24.4R2-S3
- Affected versionversion=25.2 <25.2R1-S2, 25.2R2
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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