# CVE-2025-52983: Junos OS: After removing ssh public key authentication root can still log in

> Attackers with private keys can log in as root on Junos OS VM Hosts even after public key removal, bypassing authentication controls.

- **Severity:** High 8.6 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/R:U/RE:M`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 11 Jul 2025
- **Updated:** 26 Feb 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-9cv5-8rg2-7cch

## What is CVE-2025-52983?

CVE-2025-52983 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Juniper Junos, published on 11 Jul 2025. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A UI Discrepancy for Security Feature

vulnerability in the UI of Juniper Networks Junos OS on VM Host systems allows a network-based, unauthenticated attacker to access the device.

On VM Host Routing Engines (RE), even if the configured public key for root has been removed, remote users which are in possession of the corresponding private key can still log in as root.
This issue affects Junos OS:

  *  all versions before 22.2R3-S7,
  *  22.4 versions before 22.4R3-S5,
  *  23.2 versions before 23.2R2-S3,
  *  23.4 versions before 23.4R2-S3,
  *  24.2 versions before 24.2R1-S2, 24.2R2.

Weakness: CWE-446 (UI Discrepancy for Security Feature)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-52983?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Juniper Junos.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-52983?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-52983 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2025-52983 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-52983 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-2025-52983 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-52983 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Juniper Junos, published on 11 Jul 2025. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-52983 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-2025-52983/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-52983/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-52983
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-52983
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-52983

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-52983/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.