CVE-2020-1608: Receipt of a specific MPLS or IPv6 packet on the core facing interface of an MX Series device configured for Broadband Edge (BBE) service may trigger a kernel c

Receipt of a specific MPLS or IPv6 packet on the core facing interface of an MX Series device configured for Broadband Edge (BBE) service may trigger a kernel c

Receipt of a specific MPLS or IPv6 packet on the core facing interface of an MX Series device configured for Broadband Edge (BBE) service may trigger a kernel crash (vmcore), causing the device to reboot. The issue is specific to the processing of packets destined to BBE clients connected to MX Series subscriber management platforms. This issue affects MX Series running Juniper Networks Junos OS: 17.2 versions starting from17.2R2-S6, 17.2R3 and later releases, prior to 17.2R3-S3; 17.3 versions starting from 17.3R2-S4, 17.3R3-S2 and later releases, prior to 17.3R2-S5, 17.3R3-S5; 17.4 versions starting from 17.4R2 and later releases, prior to 17.4R2-S7,17.4R3; 18.1 versions starting from 18.1R2-S3, 18.1R3 and later releases, prior to 18.1R3-S6; 18.2 versions starting from18.2R1-S1, 18.2R2 and later releases, prior to 18.2R3-S2; 18.2X75 versions prior to 18.2X75-D51, 18.2X75-D60; 18.3 versions prior to 18.3R3; 18.4 versions prior to 18.4R2; 19.1 versions prior to 19.1R1-S3, 19.1R2; 19.2 versions prior to 19.2R1-S2, 19.2R2. This issue does not affect Juniper Networks Junos OS versions prior to 17.2R2-S6.

Description from the National Vulnerability Database, published by sirt@juniper.net

What it means for a small business

Junos OS is network equipment or remote-access software: the box between your office and the internet. These are a favorite target because breaking one opens the whole office.

If an IT provider set it up, ask them to confirm the firmware version and the date it was updated. If nobody looks after it, that's the bigger problem.

How likely is an attack? The Exploit Prediction Scoring System, run by FIRST (the global association of security response teams), puts the odds of this one being exploited in the next 30 days at 1.3%, higher than 71% of CVEs. That’s above average: worth scheduling this week. Scored October 29, 2026, updated daily.

Check your own setup

Website check: reads what your site runs from the outside (WordPress version, plugins it can see, old server software) and matches it against this database.
Server check: what your web server says about itself, and whether that version has known flaws.

Sources

Part of the Huttenlocher Technologies vulnerability database, refreshed twice a day from CISA and the NVD. The title, category and plain-language guidance are ours; check the linked record before acting on a detail. This is general guidance, not a review of your systems.

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