# CVE-2017-10601: Junos OS: Insufficient authentication for user login when a specific system configuration error occurs.

> Attackers can bypass authentication and log in without a password if a specific configuration error causes a commit failure.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 14 Jul 2017
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8vp7-j7jr-rqp7

## What is CVE-2017-10601?

CVE-2017-10601 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Juniper Junos, published on 14 Jul 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A specific device configuration can result in a commit failure condition. When this occurs, a user is logged in without being prompted for a password while trying to login through console, ssh, ftp, telnet or su, etc., This issue relies upon a device configuration precondition to occur. Typically, device configurations are the result of a trusted administrative change to the system's running configuration. The following error messages may be seen when this failure occurs: mgd: error: commit failed: (statements constraint check failed) Warning: Commit failed, activating partial configuration. Warning: Edit the router configuration to fix these errors. If the administrative changes are not made that result in such a failure, then this issue is not seen. No other Juniper Networks products or platforms are affected by this issue. Affected releases are Juniper Networks Junos OS 12.3 prior to 12.3R10, 12.3R11; 12.3X48 prior to 12.3X48-D20; 13.2 prior to 13.2R8; 13.3 prior to 13.3R7; 14.1 prior to 14.1R4-S12, 14.1R5, 14.1R6; 14.1X53 prior to 14.1X53-D30; 14.2 prior to 14.2R4; 15.1 prior to 15.1F2, 15.1F3, 15.1R2.

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-10601?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Juniper Junos.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-10601?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-10601 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-10601 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-10601 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Juniper Junos

- [CVE-2023-36845](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-36845/): Juniper Junos OS EX Series and SRX Series PHP External Variable Modification (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-1631](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-1631/): Juniper Junos OS Path Traversal (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-21590](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-21590/): Juniper Junos OS Improper Isolation or Compartmentalization (medium 6.7, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2023-36851](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-36851/): Juniper Junos OS SRX Series Missing Authentication for Critical Function (medium 5.3, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2023-36844](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-36844/): Juniper Junos OS EX Series PHP External Variable Modification (medium 5.3, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-10601 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-10601 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Juniper Junos, published on 14 Jul 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-10601 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Juniper Junos. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-10601/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-10601/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-10601
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-10601
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-10601

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-10601/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.