# CVE-2022-22239: Junos OS Evolved: The ssh CLI command always runs as root which can lead to privilege escalation

> A local attacker can escalate privileges to root via the ssh CLI command in Junos OS Evolved, requiring an upgrade to secure the device.

- **Severity:** High 8.2 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 18 Oct 2022
- **Updated:** 10 May 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-h38r-wg7q-9555

## What is CVE-2022-22239?

CVE-2022-22239 is a high-severity vulnerability in Juniper Junos Os Evolved, published on 18 Oct 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

An Execution with Unnecessary Privileges vulnerability in Management Daemon (mgd) of Juniper Networks Junos OS Evolved allows a locally authenticated attacker with low privileges to escalate their privileges on the device and potentially remote systems. This vulnerability allows a locally authenticated attacker with access to the ssh operational command to escalate their privileges on the system to root, or if there is user interaction on the local device to potentially escalate privileges on a remote system to root. This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS Evolved: All versions prior to 20.4R3-S5-EVO; 21.1-EVO versions prior to 21.1R3-EVO; 21.2-EVO versions prior to 21.2R2-S1-EVO, 21.2R3-EVO; 21.3-EVO versions prior to 21.3R2-EVO. This issue does not affect Juniper Networks Junos OS.

Weakness: CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management), CWE-250 (Execution with Unnecessary Privileges)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-22239?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Juniper Junos Os Evolved.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-22239?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-22239 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-22239 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-22239 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Juniper Junos Os Evolved

- [CVE-2026-21902](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-21902/): Junos OS Evolved: PTX Series: A vulnerability allows a unauthenticated, network-based attacker to execute code as root (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2023-28983](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-28983/): Junos OS Evolved: Shell Injection vulnerability in the gNOI server (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2025-21599](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-21599/): Denial of service in Junos OS Evolved (high 8.7)
- [CVE-2024-47502](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-47502/): Junos OS Evolved: TCP session state is not always cleared on the Routing Engine leading to DoS (high 8.7)
- [CVE-2024-39531](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-39531/): Junos OS Evolved: ACX 7000 Series: Protocol specific DDoS configuration affects other protocols (high 8.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-22239 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-22239 is a high-severity vulnerability in Juniper Junos Os Evolved, published on 18 Oct 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-22239 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Juniper Junos Os Evolved. 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-2022-22239/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-22239/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-22239
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-22239
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-22239

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-22239/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.