Highly exploitable, CVE-2026-21916 poses a critical security risk that could lead to severe breaches.
Status: Awaiting Analysis
Last updated: 🕒 13 Apr 2026, 15:02 UTC
Originally published on: 🕙 09 Apr 2026, 22:16 UTC
Time between publication and last update: 3 days
CVSS Release: version 3
sirt@juniper.net
Primary
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVE-2026-21916: A UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following vulnerability in the CLI of Juniper Networks Junos OS allows a local, authenticated attacker with low privileges to escalate their privileges to root which will lead to a complete compromise of the system. When after a user has performed a specific 'file link ...' CLI operation, another user commits (unrelated configuration changes), the first user can login as root. This issue affects Junos OS: * all versions before 23.2R2-S7, * 23.4 versions before 23.4R2-S6, * 24.2 versions before 24.2R2-S3, * 24.4 versions before 24.4R2-S2, * 25.2 versions before 25.2R2. This issue does not affect versions 25.4R1 or later.
The exploitability of CVE-2026-21916 depends on two key factors: attack complexity (the level of effort required to execute an exploit) and privileges required (the access level an attacker needs).
CVE-2026-21916 presents an accessible attack vector with minimal effort required. Restricting access controls and implementing security updates are critical to reducing exploitation risks.
A lower complexity and fewer privilege requirements make exploitation easier. Security teams should evaluate these aspects to determine the urgency of mitigation strategies, such as patch management and access control policies.
Attack Complexity (AC) measures the difficulty in executing an exploit. A high AC means that specific conditions must be met, making an attack more challenging, while a low AC means the vulnerability can be exploited with minimal effort.
Privileges Required (PR) determine the level of system access necessary for an attack. Vulnerabilities requiring no privileges are more accessible to attackers, whereas high privilege requirements limit exploitation to authorized users with elevated access.
Above is the CVSS Sub-score Breakdown for CVE-2026-21916, illustrating how Base, Impact, and Exploitability factors combine to form the overall severity rating. A higher sub-score typically indicates a more severe or easier-to-exploit vulnerability.
Below is the Impact Analysis for CVE-2026-21916, showing how Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability might be affected if the vulnerability is exploited. Higher values usually signal greater potential damage.
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