CVE-2016-1278 — Juniper Junos OS before 12.1X46-D50 on SRX Series devices reverts to "safe mode" authentication and allows root CLI logins without a password after a failed upgrade to 12.1X46, which might allow local users to gain privileges by leveraging use of the "request system software" command with the "partition" option

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HIGH

Juniper Junos OS before 12.1X46-D50 on SRX Series devices reverts to "safe mode" authentication and allows root CLI logins without a password after a failed upgrade to 12.1X46, which might allow local users to gain privileges by leveraging use of the "request system software" command with the "partition" option

Published Aug 5, 2016

7.8

HIGH

CVSS 3.0

EPSS 0.45%

Description

Juniper Junos OS before 12.1X46-D50 on SRX Series devices reverts to "safe mode" authentication and allows root CLI logins without a password after a failed upgrade to 12.1X46, which might allow local users to gain privileges by leveraging use of the "request system software" command with the "partition" option.

Affected products

Remediation

No remediation recorded yet.

Metrics

0.45% 0.00450

Estimated probability of exploitation in the wild in the next 30 days (FIRST EPSS). As of Oct 1, 2026.

EPSS probability 0.00450

Score over time

2022–2026

EPSS v2
EPSS v3
EPSS v4
EPSS v5

Percentile over time

EPSS v2
EPSS v3
EPSS v4
EPSS v5

Table of values (10 key points)

Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.

Date	Score	Percentile	Model
Oct 1, 2026	0.45% (0.00450)	36.75th	v5 (v2026.06.15)
Jun 15, 2026	0.45% (0.00450)	35.53th	v5 (v2026.06.15)
Mar 17, 2025	0.06% (0.00064)	17.13th	v4 (v2025.03.14)
Dec 12, 2024	0.09% (0.00088)	39.54th	v3 (v2023.03.01)
Jun 22, 2024	0.09% (0.00088)	38.14th	v3 (v2023.03.01)
Mar 7, 2023	0.09% (0.00088)	36.13th	v3 (v2023.03.01)
Mar 6, 2023	0.95% (0.00954)	36.37th	v2 (v2022.01.01)
Sep 2, 2022	0.95% (0.00954)	34.50th	v2 (v2022.01.01)
Apr 1, 2022	0.95% (0.00954)	32.50th	v2 (v2022.01.01)
Feb 4, 2022	0.95% (0.00954)	16.28th	v2 (v2022.01.01)

Weaknesses (1)

CWE-287

Improper Authentication

References (3)

http://kb.juniper.net/InfoCenter/index?page=content&id=JSA10753
x_refsource_CONFIRMMitigationVendor Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/91757
vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1036307
vdb-entryx_refsource_SECTRACKThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry

Link	Providers	Tags
http://kb.juniper.net/InfoCenter/index?page=content&id=JSA10753		x_refsource_CONFIRMMitigationVendor Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/91757		vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1036307		vdb-entryx_refsource_SECTRACKThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry

Change history (0)

No recorded changes yet.

Sources

CVE.org / MITRE

Status PUBLISHED

Assigner mitre

Published Aug 5, 2016

Updated Aug 5, 2024

Reserved Dec 30, 2015

Link CVE-2016-1278

CISA Vulnrichment

Updated n/a

NVD

Status Modified

Modified Jun 17, 2026

Link CVE-2016-1278

Red Hat

Severity n/a

Public date n/a

Links CVE-2016-1278