ScreenOS
ScreenOS is a real-time embedded operating system for the NetScreen range of hardware firewall devices from Juniper Networks.
| Developer | Juniper Networks |
|---|---|
| Working state | Current |
| Source model | Closed source |
| Latest release | 6.3.0r27 / 23 April 2019[1] |
| License | Proprietary |
| Succeeded by | Junos OS (on later hardware) |
Features
Beside transport level security ScreenOS also integrates these flow management applications:
- IP gateway VPN management – ICSA-certified IPSec
- IP packet inspection (low level) for protection against TCP/IP attacks
- Virtualization for network segmentation
Possible NSA backdoor and 2015 "Unauthorized Code" incident
In December 2015 Juniper Networks announced that it had found unauthorized code in ScreenOS that had been there since August 2012. The two backdoors it created would allow sophisticated hackers to control the firewall of un-patched Juniper Netscreen products and decrypt network traffic. At least one of the backdoors appeared likely to have been the effort of a governmental interest. There was speculation in the security field about whether it was the NSA.[2] Many in the security industry praised Juniper for being transparent about the breach.[2] WIRED speculated that the lack of details that were disclosed and the intentional use of a random number generator with known security flaws could suggest that it was planted intentionally.[2]
NSA and GCHQ
A 2011 leaked NSA document says that GCHQ had current exploit capability against the following ScreenOS devices: NS5gt, N25, NS50, NS500, NS204, NS208, NS5200, NS5000, SSG5, SSG20, SSG140, ISG 1000, ISG 2000. The exploit capabilities seem consistent with the program codenamed FEEDTROUGH.[3]
Versions
| ScreenOS version | Release date | End of Support | End of life |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.3.0r27[1] | 23 April 2019 | ||
| 6.0 | 19 April 2007 | 19 April 2010 | 19 April 2011 |
| 5.4 | 24 July 2006 | 24 July 2009 | 24 July 2010 |
| 5.3 | 24 October 2005 | 24 October 2008 | 24 October 2009 |
| 5.2 | 11 May 2005 | 11 May 2008 | 11 May 2009 |
| 5.1 | 22 October 2004 | 22 October 2007 | 22 October 2008 |
| 5.0 | 18 December 2003 | 18 December 2006 | 18 December 2007 |
| 4.0 | 1 August 2002 | 31 October 2006 | 31 October 2007 |
References
- Release Notes 6.3.0r27 Rev 01
- Zetter, Kim (27 October 2008). "New Discovery Around Juniper Backdoor Raises More Questions About the Company". WIRED. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
- Ryan Gallagher, Glenn Greenwald (23 December 2015). "NSA Helped British Spies Find Security Holes In Juniper Firewalls". Retrieved 27 December 2015.