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Vulnerabilities

Vulnerability · CVE-2023-36845

Juniper Junos OS EX Series and SRX Series PHP External Variable Modification Vulnerability

Published Aug 17, 2023 · catalog updated Jun 16, 2026 · Juniper Junos OS

Patch now

CVE-2023-36845 is in the CISA known-exploited catalog, due Nov 17, 2023. Confirm Juniper Junos OS against the vendor advisory and apply that fix. The CVSS score does not change the priority.

Severity
Critical9.8
Known exploitation
CISA KEV and VulnCheck KEV
EPSS
95.07%
Remediation
Remediation guidance
Affected products
cpe juniper/junos · vendor Juniper Junos OS

A PHP External Variable Modification vulnerability in J-Web of Juniper Networks Junos OS on EX Series and SRX Series allows an unauthenticated, network-based attacker to remotely execute code. Using a crafted request which sets the variable PHPRC an attacker is able to modify the PHP execution environment allowing the injection und execution of code. This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS on EX Series and SRX Series: * All versions prior to 20.4R3-S9; * 21.1 versions 21.1R1 and later; * 21.2 versions prior to 21.2R3-S7; * 21.3 versions prior to 21.3R3-S5; * 21.4 versions prior to 21.4R3-S5; * 22.1 versions prior to 22.1R3-S4; * 22.2 versions prior to 22.2R3-S2; * 22.3 versions prior to 22.3R2-S2, 22.3R3-S1; * 22.4 versions prior to 22.4R2-S1, 22.4R3; * 23.2 versions prior to 23.2R1-S1, 23.2R2.

Are you affected?

Enter the version you run. The result uses only the ranges stored on this record.

The check returns affected, not affected, or incomplete. It does not guess a version that is missing from the record.

  • cpe juniper/junos20.4
  • vendor Juniper Junos OSversion unspecified

How to fix CVE-2023-36845

What to do

Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.

Should you patch?

CVE-2023-36845 is in the CISA known-exploited catalog, due Nov 17, 2023. Confirm Juniper Junos OS against the vendor advisory and apply that fix. The CVSS score does not change the priority.

Which versions are affected?

Compare what you have installed with 20.4. Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

What should an analyst verify?

CWE-473. EPSS 95.07%. The CISA KEV listing is the exploitation evidence. A public exploit reference is linked in Sources. That is not the same as confirmed exploitation. Use the source links for the original advisory.

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

No public source repository is identified for this product.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. Aug 17, 2023 · Catalog

    Detected

    A PHP External Variable Modification vulnerability in J-Web of Juniper Networks Junos OS on EX Series and SRX Series allows an unauthenticated, network-based attacker to remotely execute code. Using a crafted request which sets the variable PHPRC an attacker is able to modify the PHP execution environment allowing the injection und execution of code. This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS on

  2. Nov 13, 2023 · CISA KEV

    Known exploited

    Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

  3. Nov 17, 2023 · CISA KEV

    Remediation due

    Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

  4. Jun 16, 2026 · Catalog

    Updated

    A PHP External Variable Modification vulnerability in J-Web of Juniper Networks Junos OS on EX Series and SRX Series allows an unauthenticated, network-based attacker to remotely execute code. Using a crafted request which sets the variable PHPRC an attacker is able to modify the PHP execution environment allowing the injection und execution of code. This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS on

Sources

  • CISA KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2023-36845

    Juniper Junos OS on EX Series and SRX Series contains a PHP external variable modification vulnerability that allows an unauthenticated, network-based attacker to control an important environment variable. Using a crafted request, which sets the variable PHPRC, an attacker is able to modify the PHP execution environment allowing the injection und execution of code.

    cisa.gov
  • CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2023-36845

    Official CVE identifier

    cve.org
  • FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2023-36845

    30-day exploitation probability 95.1%

    first.org
  • Metasploit ModulesPublic exploit moduleexploit_freebsd/http/junos_phprc_auto_prepend_file

    Public module reference (excellent). Module source is not copied into this catalog.

    rapid7.com
  • NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2023-36845

    A PHP External Variable Modification vulnerability in J-Web of Juniper Networks Junos OS on EX Series and SRX Series allows an unauthenticated, network-based attacker to remotely execute code. Using a crafted request which sets the variable PHPRC an attacker is able to modif

    nvd.nist.gov
  • Packet Storm SecurityCited referencehttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/174865/Juniper-SRX-Firewall-EX-Switch-Remote-Code-Execution.html

    Packet Storm link already published on the finding.

    packetstormsecurity.com
  • Packet Storm SecurityCited referencehttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/176969/Juniper-SRX-Firewall-EX-Switch-Remote-Code-Execution.html

    Packet Storm link already published on the finding.

    packetstormsecurity.com
  • VulnCheck KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2023-36845

    Juniper Junos OS on EX Series and SRX Series contains a PHP external variable modification vulnerability that allows an unauthenticated, network-based attacker to control an important environment variable. Using a crafted request, which sets the variable PHPRC, an attacker is abl

    vulncheck.com

References

Freshness

Last verified in this catalog Oct 17, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.