# CVE-2024-2973: Session Smart Router(SSR): On redundant router deployments API authentication can be bypassed

> Attackers can bypass authentication and take full control of Juniper Session Smart Routers configured in redundant high-availability modes.

- **Severity:** Critical 10.0 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/AU:Y/V:C/RE:M/U:Red`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 27 Jun 2024
- **Updated:** 1 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jcwm-g9h6-hf43

## What is CVE-2024-2973?

CVE-2024-2973 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Juniper Networks Session Smart Conductor, published on 27 Jun 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel vulnerability in Juniper Networks Session Smart Router or conductor running with a redundant peer allows a network based attacker to bypass authentication and take full control of the device.
Only routers or conductors that are running in high-availability redundant configurations are affected by this vulnerability.

No other Juniper Networks products or platforms are affected by this issue.

This issue affects:

Session Smart Router: 

  *  All versions before 5.6.15, 
  *  from 6.0 before 6.1.9-lts, 
  *  from 6.2 before 6.2.5-sts.

Session Smart Conductor: 

  *  All versions before 5.6.15, 
  *  from 6.0 before 6.1.9-lts, 
  *  from 6.2 before 6.2.5-sts. 

WAN Assurance Router: 

  *  6.0 versions before 6.1.9-lts, 
  *  6.2 versions before 6.2.5-sts.

Weakness: CWE-288 (Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-2973?


## How do I fix CVE-2024-2973?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-2973 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-2973 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-2973 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-2973 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-2973 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Juniper Networks Session Smart Conductor, published on 27 Jun 2024. 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-2024-2973 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Juniper Networks Session Smart Conductor. 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-2024-2973/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-2973/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-2973
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-2973
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-2973

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-2973/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.