A Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime vulnerability in the Public Key Infrastructure daemon (pkid) of Juniper Networks Junos OS allows an unauthenticated networked attacker to cause Denial of Service (DoS). In a scenario where Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is used in combination with Certificate Revocation List (CRL), if the CRL fails to download the memory allocated to store the CRL is not released. Repeated occurrences will eventually consume all available memory and lead to an inoperable state of the affected system causing a DoS. This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS: All versions prior to 18.3R3-S6; 18.4 versions prior to 18.4R2-S9, 18.4R3-S10; 19.1 versions prior to 19.1R2-S3, 19.1R3-S7; 19.2 versions prior to 19.2R1-S8, 19.2R3-S4; 19.3 versions prior to 19.3R3-S4; 19.4 versions prior to 19.4R2-S5, 19.4R3-S5; 20.1 versions prior to 20.1R3-S1; 20.2 versions prior to 20.2R3-S2; 20.3 versions prior to 20.3R3-S1; 20.4 versions prior to 20.4R3; 21.1 versions prior to 21.1R2, 21.1R3; 21.2 versions prior to 21.2R1-S1, 21.2R2. This issue can be observed by monitoring the memory utilization of the pkid process via: root@jtac-srx1500-r2003> show system processes extensive | match pki 20931 root 20 0 733M 14352K select 0:00 0.00% pkid which increases over time: root@jtac-srx1500-r2003> show system processes extensive | match pki 22587 root 20 0 901M 181M select 0:03 0.00% pkid
| Software | From | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| juniper / junos | 18.3-r1-s1 | 18.3-r1-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.3-r2 | 18.3-r2.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.3-r1 | 18.3-r1.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r1 | 18.4-r1.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.3-r1-s2 | 18.3-r1-s2.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.3 | 18.3.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4 | 18.4.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r1-s1 | 18.4-r1-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.3-r1-s3 | 18.3-r1-s3.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.3-r1-s4 | 18.3-r1-s4.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r1-s3 | 18.4-r1-s3.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r1-s4 | 18.4-r1-s4.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r1-s2 | 18.4-r1-s2.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.1-r1 | 19.1-r1.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.1 | 19.1.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.2-r1 | 19.2-r1.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r2 | 18.4-r2.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.1-r1-s1 | 19.1-r1-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.1-r1-s3 | 19.1-r1-s3.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.1-r1-s2 | 19.1-r1-s2.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r1-s5 | 18.4-r1-s5.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.2-r1-s1 | 19.2-r1-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.2-r1-s2 | 19.2-r1-s2.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.3-r1-s5 | 18.3-r1-s5.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.3-r2-s1 | 18.3-r2-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.3-r2-s2 | 18.3-r2-s2.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r2-s1 | 18.4-r2-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.3 | 19.3.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.3-r1 | 19.3-r1.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.2 | 19.2.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r2-s2 | 18.4-r2-s2.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.3-r1-s6 | 18.3-r1-s6.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.2-r1-s3 | 19.2-r1-s3.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.3-r3 | 18.3-r3.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.4-r1 | 19.4-r1.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.3-r2 | 19.3-r2.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.1-r2 | 19.1-r2.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r3 | 18.4-r3.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r2-s3 | 18.4-r2-s3.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.3-r3-s1 | 18.3-r3-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.3-r2-s1 | 19.3-r2-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.3-r1-s1 | 19.3-r1-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.2-r1-s4 | 19.2-r1-s4.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.1-r1 | 20.1-r1.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.4-r1-s1 | 19.4-r1-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.3-r2-s2 | 19.3-r2-s2.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.1-r1-s4 | 19.1-r1-s4.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r1-s6 | 18.4-r1-s6.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.3-r2-s3 | 18.3-r2-s3.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r3-s2 | 18.4-r3-s2.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r3-s1 | 18.4-r3-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r2-s4 | 18.4-r2-s4.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.1-r2-s1 | 19.1-r2-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.1-r3 | 19.1-r3.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.1-r3-s1 | 19.1-r3-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.4-r1-s2 | 19.4-r1-s2.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.1-r1-s1 | 20.1-r1-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.2-r1 | 20.2-r1.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.1-r1-s2 | 20.1-r1-s2.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.1-r1-s3 | 20.1-r1-s3.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.4-r2 | 19.4-r2.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.4-r2-s1 | 19.4-r2-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.3-r2-s3 | 19.3-r2-s3.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.1-r3-s2 | 19.1-r3-s2.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r3-s3 | 18.4-r3-s3.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r3-s4 | 18.4-r3-s4.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.3-r3-s2 | 18.3-r3-s2.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.3-r2-s4 | 18.3-r2-s4.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.3-r2-s4 | 19.3-r2-s4.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.3-r3-s3 | 18.3-r3-s3.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.2-r1-s1 | 20.2-r1-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.2-r1-s2 | 20.2-r1-s2.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.4-r2-s2 | 19.4-r2-s2.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.2-r3 | 19.2-r3.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r3-s5 | 18.4-r3-s5.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.4-r3 | 19.4-r3.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.3-r2-s5 | 19.3-r2-s5.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.2-r1-s5 | 19.2-r1-s5.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.1-r3-s3 | 19.1-r3-s3.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r2-s5 | 18.4-r2-s5.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r2-s6 | 18.4-r2-s6.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.1-r1-s5 | 19.1-r1-s5.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r1-s7 | 18.4-r1-s7.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.3-r1 | 20.3-r1.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.1-r1-s4 | 20.1-r1-s4.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.1-r3-s4 | 19.1-r3-s4.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r3-s6 | 18.4-r3-s6.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.3-r3-s4 | 18.3-r3-s4.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.3-r1-s1 | 20.3-r1-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.2-r1-s3 | 20.2-r1-s3.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.2-r3-s1 | 19.2-r3-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r3-s7 | 18.4-r3-s7.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.4-r3-s1 | 19.4-r3-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.4-r2-s3 | 19.4-r2-s3.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.2-r2 | 20.2-r2.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.2-r2-s1 | 20.2-r2-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.4-r1-s3 | 19.4-r1-s3.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.2-r1-s6 | 19.2-r1-s6.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.1-r2-s2 | 19.1-r2-s2.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.4-r1 | 20.4-r1.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.2-r2-s2 | 20.2-r2-s2.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.1-r2 | 20.1-r2.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.1-r2-s1 | 20.1-r2-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.4-r1-s1 | 20.4-r1-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.1-r1-s6 | 19.1-r1-s6.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.2-r2-s3 | 20.2-r2-s3.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.3-r2 | 20.3-r2.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r2-s7 | 18.4-r2-s7.x |
| juniper / junos | 21.1-r1 | 21.1-r1.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.4-r2 | 20.4-r2.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.3-r2-s1 | 20.3-r2-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.2-r3 | 20.2-r3.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.2-r3-s1 | 20.2-r3-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.1-r3 | 20.1-r3.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.4-r3-s2 | 19.4-r3-s2.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.4-r3-s3 | 19.4-r3-s3.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.4-r3-s4 | 19.4-r3-s4.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.2-r3-s2 | 19.2-r3-s2.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r2-s8 | 18.4-r2-s8.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.1-r2-s2 | 20.1-r2-s2.x |
| juniper / junos | 21.2-r1 | 21.2-r1.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.1-r3-s5 | 19.1-r3-s5.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r3-s8 | 18.4-r3-s8.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.4-r2-s1 | 20.4-r2-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 21.1-r1-s1 | 21.1-r1-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.3-r3 | 20.3-r3.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.4-r2-s4 | 19.4-r2-s4.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.4-r1-s4 | 19.4-r1-s4.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.1-r3-s6 | 19.1-r3-s6.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.4-r3-s9 | 18.4-r3-s9.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.3-r3-s5 | 18.3-r3-s5.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.2-r3-s2 | 20.2-r3-s2.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.1-r3-s1 | 20.1-r3-s1.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.2-r3-s3 | 19.2-r3-s3.x |
| juniper / junos | 21.1-r2 | 21.1-r2.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.3-r2-s6 | 19.3-r2-s6.x |
| juniper / junos | 18.3-r | 18.3-r.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.2-r1-s7 | 19.2-r1-s7.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.4 | 19.4.x |
| juniper / junos | 19.3-r3-s4 | 19.3-r3-s4.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.1-r3-s2 | 20.1-r3-s2.x |
| juniper / junos | - | 18.3 |
| juniper / junos | 20.4-r2-s2 | 20.4-r2-s2.x |
| juniper / junos | 21.2 | 21.2.x |
| juniper / junos | 21.1 | 21.1.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.4 | 20.4.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.3 | 20.3.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.2 | 20.2.x |
| juniper / junos | 20.1 | 20.1.x |
A security vulnerability is a weakness in software, hardware, or configuration that can be exploited to compromise confidentiality, integrity, or availability. Many vulnerabilities are tracked as CVEs (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures), which provide a standardized identifier so teams can coordinate patching, mitigation, and risk assessment across tools and vendors.
CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) estimates technical severity, but it doesn't automatically equal business risk. Prioritize using context like internet exposure, affected asset criticality, known exploitation (proof-of-concept or in-the-wild), and whether compensating controls exist. A "Medium" CVSS on an exposed, production system can be more urgent than a "Critical" on an isolated, non-production host.
A vulnerability is the underlying weakness. An exploit is the method or code used to take advantage of it. A zero-day is a vulnerability that is unknown to the vendor or has no publicly available fix when attackers begin using it. In practice, risk increases sharply when exploitation becomes reliable or widespread.
Recurring findings usually come from incomplete Asset Discovery, inconsistent patch management, inherited images, and configuration drift. In modern environments, you also need to watch the software supply chain: dependencies, containers, build pipelines, and third-party services can reintroduce the same weakness even after you patch a single host. Unknown or unmanaged assets (often called Shadow IT) are a common reason the same issues resurface.
Use a simple, repeatable triage model: focus first on externally exposed assets, high-value systems (identity, VPN, email, production), vulnerabilities with known exploits, and issues that enable remote code execution or privilege escalation. Then enforce patch SLAs and track progress using consistent metrics so remediation is steady, not reactive.
SynScan combines attack surface monitoring and continuous security auditing to keep your inventory current, flag high-impact vulnerabilities early, and help you turn raw findings into a practical remediation plan.