CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2022-35243NVD status: Modified

BIG-IP: Improper Privilege Management

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2022-35243 is a critical-severity improper privilege management vulnerability in BIG-IP from F5, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.1 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with administrator privileges, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 13.1.x*, 14.1.5, 15.1.5.1 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 0.74% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 55% of scored CVEs.

Patch this week

Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.

What to do

  1. Update BIG-IP to 13.1.x* or 14.1.5 or 15.1.5.1 or 16.1.3, 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 16.1.3, 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 16.1.3, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  4. Read the advisory on support.f5.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
F5BIG-IP13.1.0 up to, but not including, 13.1.x*; 14.1.x up to, but not including, 14.1.5; 15.1.x up to, but not including, 15.1.5.1; 16.1.x up to, but not including, 16.1.313.1.x*, 14.1.5, 15.1.5.1, 16.1.3
F5Big-ip Access Policy Manager13.1.0 through 13.1.5; 14.1.0 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, 16.1.314.1.5, 15.1.6.1, 16.1.3
F5Big-ip Advanced Firewall Manager13.1.0 through 13.1.5; 14.1.0 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, 16.1.314.1.5, 15.1.6.1, 16.1.3
F5Big-ip Analytics13.1.0 through 13.1.5; 14.1.0 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, 16.1.314.1.5, 15.1.6.1, 16.1.3
F5Big-ip Application Acceleration Manager13.1.0 through 13.1.5; 14.1.0 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, 16.1.314.1.5, 15.1.6.1, 16.1.3
F5Big-ip Application Security Manager13.1.0 through 13.1.5; 14.1.0 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, 16.1.314.1.5, 15.1.6.1, 16.1.3
F5Big-ip Domain Name System13.1.0 through 13.1.5; 14.1.0 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, 16.1.314.1.5, 15.1.6.1, 16.1.3
F5Big-ip Fraud Protection Service13.1.0 through 13.1.5; 14.1.0 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, 16.1.314.1.5, 15.1.6.1, 16.1.3
F5Big-ip Global Traffic Manager13.1.0 through 13.1.5; 14.1.0 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, 16.1.314.1.5, 15.1.6.1, 16.1.3
F5Big-ip Link Controller13.1.0 through 13.1.5; 14.1.0 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, 16.1.314.1.5, 15.1.6.1, 16.1.3
F5Big-ip Local Traffic Manager13.1.0 through 13.1.5; 14.1.0 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, 16.1.314.1.5, 15.1.6.1, 16.1.3
F5Big-ip Policy Enforcement Manager13.1.0 through 13.1.5; 14.1.0 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, 16.1.314.1.5, 15.1.6.1, 16.1.3

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
HighAdministrator-level access is required first.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
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:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.18.7HighCNA (f5.com)
CVSS 3.19.1CriticalNVD

Official description

In BIG-IP Versions 16.1.x before 16.1.3, 15.1.x before 15.1.5.1, 14.1.x before 14.1.5, and all versions of 13.1.x, when running in Appliance mode, an authenticated user assigned the Administrator role may be able to bypass Appliance mode restrictions, using an undisclosed iControl REST endpoint. A successful exploit can allow the attacker to cross a security boundary. 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 Privilege Management

The product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Very carefully manage the setting, management, and handling of privileges. Explicitly manage trust zones in the software.
  • Follow the principle of least privilege when assigning access rights to entities in a software system.
  • Consider following the principle of separation of privilege. Require multiple conditions to be met before permitting access to a system resource.

More Improper Privilege Management vulnerabilities (CWE-269)

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 Privilege Management vulnerabilities

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