CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2022-35240NVD status: Modified

BIG-IP: Improper Resource Shutdown or Release

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2022-35240 is a high-severity improper resource shutdown or release vulnerability in BIG-IP from F5, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 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 14.1.5, 15.1.6.1, 16.1.2.2 as the first without the flaw, so updating BIG-IP to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.78% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 57% of scored CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update BIG-IP to 14.1.5 or 15.1.6.1 or 16.1.2.2, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update Big-ip Access Policy Manager to 14.1.5 or 15.1.6.1 or 16.1.2.2, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  3. Update Big-ip Advanced Firewall Manager to 14.1.5 or 15.1.6.1 or 16.1.2.2, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  4. Read the advisory on support.f5.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
  5. 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-IP14.1.x up to, but not including, 14.1.5; 15.1.x up to, but not including, 15.1.6.1; 16.1.x up to, but not including, 16.1.2.214.1.5, 15.1.6.1, 16.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Access Policy Manager14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.5; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.6.1; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.2.214.1.5, 15.1.6.1, 16.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Advanced Firewall Manager14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.5; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.6.1; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.2.214.1.5, 15.1.6.1, 16.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Analytics14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.5; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.6.1; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.2.214.1.5, 15.1.6.1, 16.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Application Acceleration Manager14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.5; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.6.1; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.2.214.1.5, 15.1.6.1, 16.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Application Security Manager14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.5; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.6.1; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.2.214.1.5, 15.1.6.1, 16.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Domain Name System14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.5; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.6.1; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.2.214.1.5, 15.1.6.1, 16.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Fraud Protection Service14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.5; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.6.1; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.2.214.1.5, 15.1.6.1, 16.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Global Traffic Manager14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.5; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.6.1; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.2.214.1.5, 15.1.6.1, 16.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Link Controller14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.5; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.6.1; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.2.214.1.5, 15.1.6.1, 16.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Local Traffic Manager14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.5; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.6.1; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.2.214.1.5, 15.1.6.1, 16.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Policy Enforcement Manager14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.5; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.6.1; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.2.214.1.5, 15.1.6.1, 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
NoneNo data is disclosed.
Integrity
NoneNothing can be modified.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.17.5HighCNA (f5.com)
CVSS 3.17.5HighNVD

Official description

In BIG-IP Versions 16.1.x before 16.1.2.2, 15.1.x before 15.1.6.1, and 14.1.x before 14.1.5, when the Message Routing (MR) Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) profile is configured on a virtual server, undisclosed requests can cause an increase in memory resource utilization. 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: Improper Resource Shutdown or Release

The product does not release or incorrectly releases a resource before it is made available for re-use.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Use a language that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, languages such as Java, Ruby, and Lisp perform automatic garbage collection that releases memory for objects that have been deallocated.
  • It is good practice to be responsible for freeing all resources you allocate and to be consistent with how and where you free memory in a function. If you allocate memory that you intend to free upon completion of the function, you must be sure to free the memory at all exit points for that function including error conditions.
  • Memory should be allocated/freed using matching functions such as malloc/free, new/delete, and new[]/delete[].

More Improper Resource Shutdown or Release vulnerabilities (CWE-404)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in BIG-IP

All BIG-IP vulnerabilities

Recent Improper Resource Shutdown or Release vulnerabilities

Spotted an error? Tell us.