# CVE-2023-44194: Junos OS: An unauthenticated attacker with local access to the device can create a backdoor with root privileges

> An unauthenticated local attacker can exploit improper directory permissions to create a root-privileged backdoor on Juniper Junos OS devices.

- **Severity:** High 8.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/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:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 12 Oct 2023
- **Updated:** 27 Feb 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-97hh-rrpx-8434

## What is CVE-2023-44194?

CVE-2023-44194 is a high-severity vulnerability in Juniper Junos, published on 12 Oct 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An Incorrect Default Permissions vulnerability in Juniper Networks Junos OS allows an unauthenticated attacker with local access to the device to create a backdoor with root privileges. The issue is caused by improper directory permissions on a certain system directory, allowing an attacker with access to this directory to create a backdoor with root privileges.

This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS:

  *  All versions prior to 20.4R3-S5;
  *  21.1 versions prior to 21.1R3-S4;
  *  21.2 versions prior to 21.2R3-S4;
  *  21.3 versions prior to 21.3R3-S3;
  *  21.4 versions prior to 21.4R3-S1.

Weakness: CWE-276 (Incorrect Default Permissions)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-44194?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Juniper Junos.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-44194?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-44194 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-44194 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-44194 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-2023-44194 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-44194 is a high-severity vulnerability in Juniper Junos, published on 12 Oct 2023. 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-2023-44194 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-2023-44194/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-44194/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-44194
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-44194
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-44194

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-44194/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.