CVE-2023-36834
CWE-372Published: July 14, 2023· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
Official Description
An Incomplete Internal State Distinction vulnerability in the packet forwarding engine (PFE) of Juniper Networks Junos OS on SRX 4600 and SRX 5000 Series allows an adjacent attacker to cause a Denial of Service (DoS).
If an SRX is configured in L2 transparent mode the receipt of a specific genuine packet can cause a single Packet Processing Engines (PPE) component of the PFE to run into a loop, which in turn will render the PPE unavailable. Each packet will cause one PPE to get into a loop, leading to a gradual performance degradation until all PPEs are unavailable and all traffic processing stops. To recover the affected FPC need to be restarted.
This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS on SRX 4600 and SRX 5000 Series:
20.1 version 20.1R1 and later versions;
20.2 versions prior to 20.2R3-S7;
20.3 version 20.3R1 and later versions;
20.4 versions prior to 20.4R3-S7;
21.1 versions prior to 21.1R3-S5;
21.2 versions prior to 21.2R3-S3;
21.3 versions prior to 21.3R3-S3;
21.4 versions prior to 21.4R3-S1;
22.1 versions prior to 22.1R3;
22.2 versions prior to 22.2R2;
22.3 versions prior to 22.3R1-S1, 22.3R2.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2023-36834 requires adjacent network access, limiting remote exploitation but still posing risk in shared or local network environments.
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 availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 6.5.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (2)
Quick Facts
Related CVEs (CWE-372)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2023-36834 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts