# CVE-2019-0074: Path traversal in Junos OS

> A local authenticated user can exploit a path traversal flaw in Junos OS to read sensitive system files on specific router series.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 9 Oct 2019
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-qxxh-xwx4-34gm

## What is CVE-2019-0074?

CVE-2019-0074 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Juniper Junos, published on 9 Oct 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A path traversal vulnerability in NFX150 Series and QFX10K Series, EX9200 Series, MX Series and PTX Series devices with Next-Generation Routing Engine (NG-RE) allows a local authenticated user to read sensitive system files. This issue only affects NFX150 Series and QFX10K Series, EX9200 Series, MX Series and PTX Series with Next-Generation Routing Engine (NG-RE) which uses vmhost. This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS on NFX150 Series and QFX10K, EX9200 Series, MX Series and PTX Series with NG-RE and vmhost: 15.1F versions prior to 15.1F6-S12 16.1 versions starting from 16.1R6 and later releases, including the Service Releases, prior to 16.1R6-S6, 16.1R7-S3; 17.1 versions prior to 17.1R3; 17.2 versions starting from 17.2R1-S3, 17.2R3 and later releases, including the Service Releases, prior to 17.2R3-S1; 17.3 versions starting from 17.3R1-S1, 17.3R2 and later releases, including the Service Releases, prior to 17.3R3-S3; 17.4 versions starting from 17.4R1 and later releases, including the Service Releases, prior to 17.4R1-S6, 17.4R2-S2, 17.4R3; 18.1 versions prior to 18.1R2-S4, 18.1R3-S3; 18.2 versions prior to 18.2R2; 18.2X75 versions prior to 18.2X75-D40; 18.3 versions prior to 18.3R1-S2, 18.3R2; 18.4 versions prior to 18.4R1-S1, 18.4R2. This issue does not affect: Juniper Networks Junos OS 15.1 and 16.2.

Weakness: CWE-23 (Relative Path Traversal), CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-0074?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Juniper Junos.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-0074?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-0074 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2019-0074 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-0074 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-2019-0074 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-0074 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Juniper Junos, published on 9 Oct 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-0074 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-2019-0074/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-0074/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-0074
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-0074
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-0074

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-0074/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.