# CVE-2023-28978: Junos OS Evolved: Read access to some confidential user information is possible

> An unauthenticated attacker can read confidential administrative user information from Junos OS Evolved devices in their default configuration.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 17 Apr 2023
- **Updated:** 5 Feb 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-gj3f-49gc-9p6w

## What is CVE-2023-28978?

CVE-2023-28978 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Juniper Junos Os Evolved, published on 17 Apr 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An Insecure Default Initialization of Resource vulnerability in Juniper Networks Junos OS Evolved allows an unauthenticated, network based attacker to read certain confidential information. In the default configuration it is possible to read confidential information about locally configured (administrative) users of the affected system. This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS Evolved: All versions prior to 20.4R3-S7-EVO on pending commit???; 21.1-EVO versions prior to 21.1R3-S4-EVO on awaiting build; 21.4-EVO versions prior to 21.4R3-S1-EVO; 22.2-EVO versions prior to 22.2R3-EVO; 21.2-EVO versions prior to 21.2R3-S5-EVO on pending commit???; 21.3-EVO version 21.3R1-EVO and later versions; 22.1-EVO version 22.1R1-EVO and later versions; 22.2-EVO versions prior to 22.2R2-S1-EVO.

Weakness: CWE-1188 (Initialization of a Resource with an Insecure Default)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-28978?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Juniper Junos Os Evolved.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-28978?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-28978 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-28978 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-28978 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-2023-28978 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-28978 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Juniper Junos Os Evolved, published on 17 Apr 2023. 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-2023-28978 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-2023-28978/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-28978/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-28978
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-28978
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-28978

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-28978/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.