Juniper SRX300 Series at Risk: Byte-Ordering Bug CVE-2025-52980 Opens Door to BGP DoS Attacks

Introduction

Network stability is the backbone of modern digital infrastructure, and vulnerabilities affecting critical routing components can have severe operational consequences. Recently discovered CVE-2025-52980 exposes Juniper Networks' SRX300 Series firewalls to potential Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks through a subtle yet impactful byte-ordering flaw in BGP UPDATE message processing. Given Juniper's widespread deployment in enterprise and service provider networks, this vulnerability poses significant risks to global network reliability and security.

Technical Information

CVE-2025-52980 is rooted in the incorrect handling of byte ordering (CWE-198) within Juniper's Routing Protocol Daemon (rpd). Specifically, the vulnerability occurs when rpd processes a BGP UPDATE message containing a particular optional transitive path attribute. The daemon erroneously interprets the attribute due to a failure to convert from network byte order (big-endian) to host byte order (little-endian), resulting in improper memory access and subsequent segmentation faults.

The attack vector is straightforward yet potent: an unauthenticated attacker with network adjacency and an established BGP session can craft and send a malicious UPDATE message. Upon receipt, the rpd crashes, causing temporary routing disruptions. Repeated exploitation can lead to sustained DoS conditions, severely impacting network operations.

Patch Information

Juniper Networks has addressed CVE-2025-52980 by releasing a software update for Junos OS running on SRX300 Series devices. This update resolves the issue that previously allowed a specific valid BGP UPDATE message to crash the rpd.

To apply this fix, users should upgrade their Junos OS to the latest recommended version provided by Juniper Networks. Detailed instructions and software packages are available on Juniper's official support portal. Follow the upgrade procedures carefully to ensure correct implementation and maintain network stability and security.

For comprehensive guidance and software access, refer to Juniper's security bulletin:

Juniper Security Bulletin

Detection Methods

Detecting exploitation attempts involves monitoring specific indicators signaling potential attacks:

Monitoring BGP UPDATE Messages: Analyze incoming BGP UPDATE messages for unusual optional transitive path attributes using deep packet inspection (DPI).
System Log Analysis: Regularly review logs for unexpected rpd crashes or restarts.
Network Traffic Anomalies: Monitor for increased BGP UPDATE messages from unknown sources or abnormal BGP session behavior.
Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS): Deploy IDS solutions with custom signatures to detect suspicious BGP traffic.
Regular Software Audits: Ensure Junos OS devices run patched versions addressing CVE-2025-52980.

Implementing these detection methods enables proactive identification and response to potential exploitation attempts.

Affected Systems and Versions

CVE-2025-52980 specifically impacts Juniper Networks' Junos OS on SRX300 Series devices:

Junos OS 22.1 versions from 22.1R1 before 22.2R3-S4
Junos OS 22.3 versions before 22.3R3-S3
Junos OS 22.4 versions before 22.4R3-S2
Junos OS 23.2 versions before 23.2R2
Junos OS 23.4 versions before 23.4R2

Vendor Security History

Juniper Networks has previously encountered vulnerabilities within Junos OS, particularly involving routing protocols. Their consistent and timely security bulletins reflect a mature approach to vulnerability management, with rapid patch deployment typically following vulnerability disclosures.

References

Source: This report was created using AI

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