CVE-2021-0254
CWE-131Published: April 22, 2021· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
Official Description
A buffer size validation vulnerability in the overlayd service of Juniper Networks Junos OS may allow an unauthenticated remote attacker to send specially crafted packets to the device, triggering a partial Denial of Service (DoS) condition, or leading to remote code execution (RCE). Continued receipt and processing of these packets will sustain the partial DoS. The overlayd daemon handles Overlay OAM packets, such as ping and traceroute, sent to the overlay. The service runs as root by default and listens for UDP connections on port 4789. This issue results from improper buffer size validation, which can lead to a buffer overflow. Unauthenticated attackers can send specially crafted packets to trigger this vulnerability, resulting in possible remote code execution. overlayd runs by default in MX Series, ACX Series, and QFX Series platforms. The SRX Series does not support VXLAN and is therefore not vulnerable to this issue. Other platforms are also vulnerable if a Virtual Extensible LAN (VXLAN) overlay network is configured. This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS: 15.1 versions prior to 15.1R7-S9; 17.3 versions prior to 17.3R3-S11; 17.4 versions prior to 17.4R2-S13, 17.4R3-S4; 18.1 versions prior to 18.1R3-S12; 18.2 versions prior to 18.2R2-S8, 18.2R3-S7; 18.3 versions prior to 18.3R3-S4; 18.4 versions prior to 18.4R1-S8, 18.4R2-S7, 18.4R3-S7; 19.1 versions prior to 19.1R2-S2, 19.1R3-S4; 19.2 versions prior to 19.2R1-S6, 19.2R3-S2; 19.3 versions prior to 19.3R3-S1; 19.4 versions prior to 19.4R2-S4, 19.4R3-S1; 20.1 versions prior to 20.1R2-S1, 20.1R3; 20.2 versions prior to 20.2R2, 20.2R2-S1, 20.2R3; 20.3 versions prior to 20.3R1-S1.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2021-0254 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.
The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.
A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 9.8.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (2)
Quick Facts
Related CVEs (CWE-131)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2021-0254 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts