# What is CVE-2020-1688?

> CVE-2020-1688 is a medium-severity flaw (CVSS 6.5) in Junos from Juniper, published on 16 October 2020. It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts its chance of use in the next 30 days at 0.3%. If you run an affected version, plan in the vendor’s fix.

Canonical page: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/what-is/cve-2020-1688

## At a glance

- **Verdict:** Plan it in. No sign of exploitation and a low forecast. Patch it in your normal update cycle.
- **Precursor Intelligence risk score:** 22 out of 100 (Low); action: Monitor. Kept up to date as the evidence changes.
- **Severity:** Medium (CVSS 6.5 out of 10)
- **Known to be exploited:** No, not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today
- **Chance of use in the next 30 days:** 0.3% (latest exploit-likelihood forecast)
- **Published:** 16 October 2020
- **Record last updated:** 1 January 2022
- **Main product:** Junos from Juniper
- **Affected products:** 17

## What is CVE-2020-1688? In plain terms

An attacker has to be already on the device with an ordinary user account, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data.

### The official description

On Juniper Networks SRX Series and NFX Series, a local authenticated user with access to the shell may obtain the Web API service private key that is used to provide encrypted communication between the Juniper device and the authenticator services. Exploitation of this vulnerability may allow an attacker to decrypt the communications between the Juniper device and the authenticator service. This Web API service is used for authentication services such as the Juniper Identity Management Service, used to obtain user identity for Integrated User Firewall feature, or the integrated ClearPass authentication and enforcement feature. This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS on Networks SRX Series and NFX Series: 12.3X48 versions prior to 12.3X48-D105; 15.1X49 versions prior to 15.1X49-D190; 16.1 versions prior to 16.1R7-S8; 17.2 versions prior to 17.2R3-S4; 17.3 versions prior to 17.3R3-S8; 17.4 versions prior to 17.4R2-S11, 17.4R3; 18.1 versions prior to 18.1R3-S7; 18.2 versions prior to 18.2R3; 18.3 versions prior to 18.3R2-S4, 18.3R3; 18.4 versions prior to 18.4R1-S7, 18.4R2; 19.1 versions prior to 19.1R2; 19.2 versions prior to 19.2R1-S4, 19.2R2.

### What kind of flaw is it?

- CWE-359: Exposure of Private Personal Information to an Unauthorized Actor
- CWE-522: Insufficiently Protected Credentials

### How an attack on it works

- Where an attacker can be: Already on the device
- How hard it is to pull off: Easy: no special conditions
- Login needed first: An ordinary user account
- Does someone have to click: No, nobody has to do anything
- What an attacker gets: Can read data

Severity vector: `CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N`

## Is CVE-2020-1688 being exploited? Not that we know of

It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 0.3%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

Exploit likelihood over the last 7 days: 0.3%, 0.3%, 0.3%, 0.3%, 0.3%, 0.3%, 0.3%.

### Timeline

- 16 October 2020: Published
- 1 January 2022: Record last updated

### How Precursor Intelligence ranks it

CVE-2020-1688 scores **22 out of 100 (Low)**, with the action "Monitor".

Every published flaw gets a risk score from 0 to 100, kept up to date as the evidence changes. Four things go into the score, from the one that counts most to the ones that count less:

- Evidence it is being exploited: biggest factor
- How severe it is: strong factor
- How widely exposed it is: smaller factor
- Threat activity around it: smaller factor

85 and above is Critical. Anything confirmed as exploited is always marked for an emergency patch, whatever its score. When this flaw matches software you track, it lands in your list with its score and the reasons behind it.

## Who is affected by CVE-2020-1688?

The published record lists 17 products.

- [Junos](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/juniper/junos) by [Juniper](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/juniper) (Operating system): 12.3x48, 12.3x48-d10, 12.3x48-d15, 12.3x48-d20, 12.3x48-d25, 12.3x48-d30, 12.3x48-d35, 12.3x48-d40, 12.3x48-d45, 12.3x48-d50, 12.3x48-d51, 12.3x48-d55, 12.3x48-d60, 12.3x48-d65, 12.3x48-d70, 12.3x48-d75, 12.3x48-d80, 12.3x48-d90, 12.3x48-d95, 12.3x48-d100, 15.1x49, 15.1x49-d10, 15.1x49-d15, 15.1x49-d20, 15.1x49-d25, 15.1x49-d30, 15.1x49-d35, 15.1x49-d40, 15.1x49-d45, 15.1x49-d50, 15.1x49-d55, 15.1x49-d60, 15.1x49-d65, 15.1x49-d70, 15.1x49-d75, 15.1x49-d80, 15.1x49-d90, 15.1x49-d100, 15.1x49-d110, 15.1x49-d120 and 130 more
- [Nfx150](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/juniper/nfx150) by [Juniper](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/juniper) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Nfx250](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/juniper/nfx250) by [Juniper](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/juniper) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Nfx350](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/juniper/nfx350) by [Juniper](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/juniper) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Srx1500](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/juniper/srx1500) by [Juniper](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/juniper) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Srx300](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/juniper/srx300) by [Juniper](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/juniper) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Srx320](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/juniper/srx320) by [Juniper](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/juniper) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Srx340](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/juniper/srx340) by [Juniper](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/juniper) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Srx345](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/juniper/srx345) by [Juniper](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/juniper) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Srx380](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/juniper/srx380) by [Juniper](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/juniper) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Srx4100](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/juniper/srx4100) by [Juniper](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/juniper) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Srx4200](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/juniper/srx4200) by [Juniper](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/juniper) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Srx4600](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/juniper/srx4600) by [Juniper](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/juniper) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Srx5400](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/juniper/srx5400) by [Juniper](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/juniper) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Srx550](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/juniper/srx550) by [Juniper](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/juniper) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Srx5600](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/juniper/srx5600) by [Juniper](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/juniper) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Srx5800](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/juniper/srx5800) by [Juniper](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/juniper) (Hardware): version not specified

## How do I fix CVE-2020-1688?

1. **Check whether you run it.** Compare your versions with the affected products above. Not sure what you run? Precursor Intelligence can work it out from your public website, or you can pick it from a list.
2. **Apply the vendor’s fix.** Install the update named in the vendor’s advisory. We’ve put the advisories and patch notes first in the list.
3. **If you can’t patch today.** Follow any mitigation the vendor publishes, and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet until the update is in.
4. **Keep an eye on it.** Track the product and we tell you as soon as we spot this flaw on the list of exploited flaws, or a jump in its exploit likelihood.

### References

- [kb.juniper.net](https://kb.juniper.net/InfoCenter/index?page=content&id=KB30911) (Vendor advisory)
- [kb.juniper.net](https://kb.juniper.net/JSA11085) (Vendor advisory)
- [juniper.net](https://www.juniper.net/documentation/en_US/junos/topics/reference/configuration-statement/services-webapi-user-cli.html) (Vendor advisory)
- [juniper.net](https://www.juniper.net/documentation/en_US/junos/topics/topic-map/security-user-auth-configure-jims.html) (Vendor advisory)
- [juniper.net](https://www.juniper.net/documentation/en_US/junos/topics/topic-map/security-user-auth-intergrated-user-firewall-overview.html) (Vendor advisory)

## Questions

### What is CVE-2020-1688?

CVE-2020-1688 is a medium-severity flaw in Junos from Juniper, published on 16 October 2020. An attacker has to be already on the device with an ordinary user account, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data.

### How serious is CVE-2020-1688?

It scores 6.5 out of 10 on the CVSS severity scale, which is medium. Our risk score for CVE-2020-1688 is 22 out of 100, which is Low. Its action is "Monitor". No sign of exploitation and a low forecast. Patch it in your normal update cycle.

### Is CVE-2020-1688 being exploited?

It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 0.3%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

### Which versions does CVE-2020-1688 affect?

For Junos from Juniper: 12.3x48, 12.3x48-d10, 12.3x48-d15, 12.3x48-d20, 12.3x48-d25, 12.3x48-d30 and 164 more. The record lists 17 products in all, each with its versions, under "Who is affected" on this page.

### How do I fix CVE-2020-1688?

Install the update the vendor names in its advisory, linked first under "How do I fix" on this page. If you can't patch today, follow the vendor's mitigation and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet.

## Does CVE-2020-1688 affect you?

Precursor Intelligence keeps checking for you:

- **Tell us what you run.** Pick your software from a list, or let us work it out from your website.
- **We match it to every flaw.** Over 400,000 published flaws, checked against your list.
- **Ranked by real-world risk.** Every flaw gets a 0 to 100 risk score, kept up to date, led by evidence criminals are using it.
- **Told as soon as we know.** An alert by email, in the app or by webhook to your own tools.

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