CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2023-28742NVD status: Modified

BIG-IP: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2023-28742 is a high-severity improper neutralization of special elements used in an OS command vulnerability in BIG-IP from F5, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 17.1.0.1, 16.1.3.4, 15.1.8.2 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 1.47% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 74% of scored CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update BIG-IP to 17.1.0.1 or 16.1.3.4 or 15.1.8.2 or 14.1.5.4, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update Big-ip Domain Name System to 14.1.5.4 or 15.1.8.2 or 16.1.3.4 or 17.1.0.1, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  3. Read the advisory on my.f5.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
F5BIG-IP17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.0.1; 17.0.0 and later; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.3.4; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.8.2; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.5.4; 13.1.0 and later17.1.0.1, 16.1.3.4, 15.1.8.2, 14.1.5.4
F5Big-ip Domain Name System13.1.0 through 13.1.5; 14.1.0 up to, but not including, 14.1.5.4; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.8.2; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.3.4; 17.0.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.0.114.1.5.4, 15.1.8.2, 16.1.3.4, 17.1.0.1

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
LowA basic user account is enough.
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:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.17.2HighCNA (f5.com)
CVSS 3.18.8HighNVD

Official description

When DNS is provisioned, an authenticated remote command execution vulnerability exists in DNS iQuery mesh. 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 Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command

The product constructs all or part of an OS command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended OS command before it is sent to a downstream component.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • If at all possible, use library calls rather than external processes to recreate the desired functionality.
  • For any data that will be used to generate a command to be executed, keep as much of that data out of external control as possible. For example, in web applications, this may require storing the data locally in the session's state instead of sending it out to the client in a hidden form field.
  • 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.

More Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command vulnerabilities (CWE-78)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in BIG-IP

All BIG-IP vulnerabilities

Recent Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command vulnerabilities

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