CVE-2021-22986Exploited in the wildNVD status: Analyzed
F5 BIG-IP and BIG-IQ Centralized Management iControl REST Remote Code Execution
CVE-2021-22986 is a critical-severity server-side request forgery vulnerability in BIG-IP; BIG-IQ, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected BIG-IP; BIG-IQ versions: BIG-IQ 7.1.0.x before 7.1.0.3, 7.0.0.x before 7.0.0.2. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on November 3, 2021, which means attacks have been observed in the wild, including in ransomware campaigns.
Patch now
Attackers are already exploiting this vulnerability, according to CISA.
What to do
- Update Big-ip Access Policy Manager to 12.1.5.3 or 13.1.3.6 or 14.1.4 or 15.1.2.1, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Big-ip Advanced Firewall Manager to 12.1.5.3 or 13.1.3.6 or 14.1.4 or 15.1.2.1, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Big-ip Advanced Web Application Firewall to 12.1.5.3 or 13.1.3.6 or 14.1.4 or 15.1.2.1, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- CISA's required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.
- Read the advisory on support.f5.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIG-IP; BIG-IQ | BIG-IP; BIG-IQ | BIG-IQ 7.1.0.x before 7.1.0.3, 7.0.0.x before 7.0.0.2 | Not stated |
| F5 | Big-ip Access Policy Manager | 12.1.0 up to, but not including, 12.1.5.3; 13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.3.6; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.4; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.2.1; 16.0.0 up to, but not including, 16.0.1.1 | 12.1.5.3, 13.1.3.6, 14.1.4, 15.1.2.1, 16.0.1.1 |
| F5 | Big-ip Advanced Firewall Manager | 12.1.0 up to, but not including, 12.1.5.3; 13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.3.6; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.4; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.2.1; 16.0.0 up to, but not including, 16.0.1.1 | 12.1.5.3, 13.1.3.6, 14.1.4, 15.1.2.1, 16.0.1.1 |
| F5 | Big-ip Advanced Web Application Firewall | 12.1.0 up to, but not including, 12.1.5.3; 13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.3.6; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.4; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.2.1; 16.0.0 up to, but not including, 16.0.1.1 | 12.1.5.3, 13.1.3.6, 14.1.4, 15.1.2.1, 16.0.1.1 |
| F5 | Big-ip Analytics | 12.1.0 up to, but not including, 12.1.5.3; 13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.3.6; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.4; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.2.1; 16.0.0 up to, but not including, 16.0.1.1 | 12.1.5.3, 13.1.3.6, 14.1.4, 15.1.2.1, 16.0.1.1 |
| F5 | Big-ip Application Acceleration Manager | 12.1.0 up to, but not including, 12.1.5.3; 13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.3.6; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.4; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.2.1; 16.0.0 up to, but not including, 16.0.1.1 | 12.1.5.3, 13.1.3.6, 14.1.4, 15.1.2.1, 16.0.1.1 |
| F5 | Big-ip Application Security Manager | 12.1.0 up to, but not including, 12.1.5.3; 13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.3.6; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.4; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.2.1; 16.0.0 up to, but not including, 16.0.1.1 | 12.1.5.3, 13.1.3.6, 14.1.4, 15.1.2.1, 16.0.1.1 |
| F5 | Big-ip Ddos Hybrid Defender | 12.1.0 up to, but not including, 12.1.5.3; 13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.3.6; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.4; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.2.1; 16.0.0 up to, but not including, 16.0.1.1 | 12.1.5.3, 13.1.3.6, 14.1.4, 15.1.2.1, 16.0.1.1 |
| F5 | Big-ip Domain Name System | 12.1.0 up to, but not including, 12.1.5.3; 13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.3.6; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.4; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.2.1; 16.0.0 up to, but not including, 16.0.1.1 | 12.1.5.3, 13.1.3.6, 14.1.4, 15.1.2.1, 16.0.1.1 |
| F5 | Big-ip Fraud Protection Service | 12.1.0 up to, but not including, 12.1.5.3; 13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.3.6; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.4; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.2.1; 16.0.0 up to, but not including, 16.0.1.1 | 12.1.5.3, 13.1.3.6, 14.1.4, 15.1.2.1, 16.0.1.1 |
| F5 | Big-ip Global Traffic Manager | 12.1.0 up to, but not including, 12.1.5.3; 13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.3.6; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.4; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.2.1; 16.0.0 up to, but not including, 16.0.1.1 | 12.1.5.3, 13.1.3.6, 14.1.4, 15.1.2.1, 16.0.1.1 |
| F5 | Big-ip Link Controller | 12.1.0 up to, but not including, 12.1.5.3; 13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.3.6; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.4; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.2.1; 16.0.0 up to, but not including, 16.0.1.1 | 12.1.5.3, 13.1.3.6, 14.1.4, 15.1.2.1, 16.0.1.1 |
| F5 | Big-ip Local Traffic Manager | 12.1.0 up to, but not including, 12.1.5.3; 13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.3.6; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.4; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.2.1; 16.0.0 up to, but not including, 16.0.1.1 | 12.1.5.3, 13.1.3.6, 14.1.4, 15.1.2.1, 16.0.1.1 |
| F5 | Big-ip Policy Enforcement Manager | 12.1.0 up to, but not including, 12.1.5.3; 13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.3.6; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.4; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.2.1; 16.0.0 up to, but not including, 16.0.1.1 | 12.1.5.3, 13.1.3.6, 14.1.4, 15.1.2.1, 16.0.1.1 |
| F5 | Big-iq Centralized Management | 6.0.0 up to, but not including, 6.1.0; 7.0.0 up to, but not including, 7.0.0.2; 7.1.0 up to, but not including, 7.1.0.3 | 6.1.0, 7.0.0.2, 7.1.0.3 |
| F5 | SSL Orchestrator | 12.1.0 up to, but not including, 12.1.5.3; 13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.3.6; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.4; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.2.1; 16.0.0 up to, but not including, 16.0.1.1 | 12.1.5.3, 13.1.3.6, 14.1.4, 15.1.2.1, 16.0.1.1 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 9.8 | Critical | NVD |
| CVSS 3.1 | 9.8 | Critical | CISA (ADP) |
| CVSS 2.0 | 10.0 | High | NVD |
Official description
On BIG-IP versions 16.0.x before 16.0.1.1, 15.1.x before 15.1.2.1, 14.1.x before 14.1.4, 13.1.x before 13.1.3.6, and 12.1.x before 12.1.5.3 amd BIG-IQ 7.1.0.x before 7.1.0.3 and 7.0.0.x before 7.0.0.2, the iControl REST interface has an unauthenticated remote command execution vulnerability. Note: Software versions which have reached End of Software Development (EoSD) are not evaluated.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Server-Side Request Forgery
The web server receives a URL or similar request from an upstream component and retrieves the contents of this URL, but it does not sufficiently ensure that the request is being sent to the expected destination.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- If there is a known list of applications, IP, hostname, and/or domains to which the product is allowed to communicate, then use allowlists to ensure that outgoing requests are restricted to these known entities. The allowlists could be in the application code or possibly enforced by firewalls or network segmentation.
- If the product is expected to be able to connect to arbitrary IP addresses or domains, consider using a denylist that includes private network addresses, internal domain names, etc. The denylist could be in the application code or possibly enforced by firewalls or network segmentation.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- Added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue.
- Deadline for US federal agencies to remediate, set by CISA.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: active, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
Third-party and government advisories
- cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-22986US Government Resource
Technical write-ups (may include proof of concept)
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/162059/F5-iControl-Server-Side-Request-Forgery-Remote-Command-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/162066/F5-BIG-IP-16.0.x-Remote-Code-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
Recent Server-Side Request Forgery vulnerabilities
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 5.3 Medium severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.2 High severity
Adminer Server-Side Request Forgery Exploited
- 9.8 Critical severity
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