CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2022-1388Exploited in the wildNVD status: Analyzed

F5 BIG-IP Missing Authentication

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2022-1388 is a critical-severity missing authentication for critical functionality vulnerability in BIG-IP from F5, 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. The record lists versions 16.1.2.2, 15.1.5.1, 14.1.4.6 as the first without the flaw, so updating BIG-IP to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on May 10, 2022, 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

  1. Update BIG-IP to 16.1.2.2 or 15.1.5.1 or 14.1.4.6 or 13.1.5, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update Big-ip Access Policy Manager to 13.1.5 or 14.1.4.6 or 15.1.5.1 or 16.1.2.2, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  3. Update Big-ip Advanced Firewall Manager to 13.1.5 or 14.1.4.6 or 15.1.5.1 or 16.1.2.2, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  4. CISA's required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.
  5. Read the advisory on support.f5.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
  6. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
F5BIG-IP16.1.x up to, but not including, 16.1.2.2; 15.1.x up to, but not including, 15.1.5.1; 14.1.x up to, but not including, 14.1.4.6; 13.1.x up to, but not including, 13.1.5; 12.1.x through 12.1.6; 11.6.x through 11.6.516.1.2.2, 15.1.5.1, 14.1.4.6, 13.1.5
F5Big-ip Access Policy Manager11.6.1 through 11.6.5; 12.1.0 through 12.1.6; 13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.5; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.4.6; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.5.1; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.2.213.1.5, 14.1.4.6, 15.1.5.1, 16.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Advanced Firewall Manager11.6.1 through 11.6.5; 12.1.0 through 12.1.6; 13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.5; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.4.6; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.5.1; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.2.213.1.5, 14.1.4.6, 15.1.5.1, 16.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Analytics11.6.1 through 11.6.5; 12.1.0 through 12.1.6; 13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.5; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.4.6; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.5.1; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.2.213.1.5, 14.1.4.6, 15.1.5.1, 16.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Application Acceleration Manager11.6.1 through 11.6.5; 12.1.0 through 12.1.6; 13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.5; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.4.6; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.5.1; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.2.213.1.5, 14.1.4.6, 15.1.5.1, 16.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Application Security Manager11.6.1 through 11.6.5; 12.1.0 through 12.1.6; 13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.5; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.4.6; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.5.1; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.2.213.1.5, 14.1.4.6, 15.1.5.1, 16.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Domain Name System11.6.1 through 11.6.5; 12.1.0 through 12.1.6; 13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.5; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.4.6; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.5.1; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.2.213.1.5, 14.1.4.6, 15.1.5.1, 16.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Fraud Protection Service11.6.1 through 11.6.5; 12.1.0 through 12.1.6; 13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.5; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.4.6; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.5.1; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.2.213.1.5, 14.1.4.6, 15.1.5.1, 16.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Global Traffic Manager11.6.1 through 11.6.5; 12.1.0 through 12.1.6; 13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.5; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.4.6; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.5.1; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.2.213.1.5, 14.1.4.6, 15.1.5.1, 16.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Link Controller11.6.1 through 11.6.5; 12.1.0 through 12.1.6; 13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.5; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.4.6; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.5.1; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.2.213.1.5, 14.1.4.6, 15.1.5.1, 16.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Local Traffic Manager11.6.1 through 11.6.5; 12.1.0 through 12.1.6; 13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.5; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.4.6; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.5.1; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.2.213.1.5, 14.1.4.6, 15.1.5.1, 16.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Policy Enforcement Manager11.6.1 through 11.6.5; 12.1.0 through 12.1.6; 13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.5; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.4.6; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.5.1; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.2.213.1.5, 14.1.4.6, 15.1.5.1, 16.1.2.2

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 systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.19.8CriticalCNA (f5.com)
CVSS 3.19.8CriticalNVD
CVSS 2.07.5HighNVD

Official description

On F5 BIG-IP 16.1.x versions prior to 16.1.2.2, 15.1.x versions prior to 15.1.5.1, 14.1.x versions prior to 14.1.4.6, 13.1.x versions prior to 13.1.5, and all 12.1.x and 11.6.x versions, undisclosed requests may bypass iControl REST authentication. Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality

The product does not perform any authentication for functionality that requires a provable user identity or consumes a significant amount of resources.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • For any security checks that are performed on the client side, ensure that these checks are duplicated on the server side, in order to avoid CWE-602. Attackers can bypass the client-side checks by modifying values after the checks have been performed, or by changing the client to remove the client-side checks entirely. Then, these modified values would be submitted to the server.
  • Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, consider using libraries with authentication capabilities such as OpenSSL or the ESAPI Authenticator.
  • When storing data in the cloud (e.g., S3 buckets, Azure blobs, Google Cloud Storage, etc.), use the provider's controls to require strong authentication for users who should be allowed to access the data.

More Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality vulnerabilities (CWE-306)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. Added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue.
  3. Deadline for US federal agencies to remediate, set by CISA.
  4. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: active, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
  5. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Patches and release notes

Third-party and government advisories

Technical write-ups (may include proof of concept)

Other vulnerabilities in BIG-IP

All BIG-IP vulnerabilities

Recent Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality vulnerabilities

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