CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2025-21087NVD status: Analyzed

BIG-IP: Uncontrolled Resource Consumption

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2025-21087 is a high-severity uncontrolled resource consumption 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 version 17.1.2 as the first without the flaw, so updating BIG-IP to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.43% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update BIG-IP to 17.1.2 or a later version.
  2. Update BIG-IP Next to 20.1.0 or a later version.
  3. Update Big-ip Access Policy Manager to 16.1.6 or 17.1.2, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  4. Read the advisory on my.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-IP17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.2; 16.1.0 and later; 15.1.0 and later17.1.2
F5BIG-IP Next20.0.0 up to, but not including, 20.1.020.1.0
F5Big-ip Access Policy Manager15.1.0 through 15.1.10; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.216.1.6, 17.1.2
F5Big-ip Advanced Firewall Manager15.1.0 through 15.1.10; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.216.1.6, 17.1.2
F5Big-ip Advanced Web Application Firewall15.1.0 through 15.1.10; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.216.1.6, 17.1.2
F5Big-ip Analytics15.1.0 through 15.1.10; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.216.1.6, 17.1.2
F5Big-ip Application Acceleration Manager15.1.0 through 15.1.10; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.216.1.6, 17.1.2
F5Big-ip Application Security Manager15.1.0 through 15.1.10; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.216.1.6, 17.1.2
F5Big-ip Application Visibility And Reporting15.1.0 through 15.1.10; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.216.1.6, 17.1.2
F5Big-ip Automation Toolchain15.1.0 through 15.1.10; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.216.1.6, 17.1.2
F5Big-ip Carrier-grade Nat15.1.0 through 15.1.10; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.216.1.6, 17.1.2
F5Big-ip Container Ingress Services15.1.0 through 15.1.10; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.216.1.6, 17.1.2
F5Big-ip Ddos Hybrid Defender15.1.0 through 15.1.10; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.216.1.6, 17.1.2
F5Big-ip Domain Name System15.1.0 through 15.1.10; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.216.1.6, 17.1.2
F5Big-ip Edge Gateway15.1.0 through 15.1.10; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.216.1.6, 17.1.2
F5Big-ip Fraud Protection Service15.1.0 through 15.1.10; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.216.1.6, 17.1.2
F5Big-ip Global Traffic Manager15.1.0 through 15.1.10; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.216.1.6, 17.1.2
F5Big-ip Link Controller15.1.0 through 15.1.10; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.216.1.6, 17.1.2
F5Big-ip Local Traffic Manager15.1.0 through 15.1.10; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.216.1.6, 17.1.2
F5Big-ip Policy Enforcement Manager15.1.0 through 15.1.10; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.216.1.6, 17.1.2
F5Big-ip SSL Orchestrator15.1.0 through 15.1.10; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.216.1.6, 17.1.2
F5Big-ip Webaccelerator15.1.0 through 15.1.10; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.216.1.6, 17.1.2
F5Big-ip Websafe15.1.0 through 15.1.10; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.216.1.6, 17.1.2

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 CNA (f5.com).

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 4.08.9HighCNA (f5.com)
CVSS 3.17.5HighCNA (f5.com)

Official description

When Client or Server SSL profiles are configured on a Virtual Server, or DNSSEC signing operations are in use, undisclosed traffic can cause an increase in memory and CPU 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: Uncontrolled Resource Consumption

The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Ensure that protocols have specific limits of scale placed on them.
  • Ensure that all failures in resource allocation place the system into a safe posture.

More Uncontrolled Resource Consumption vulnerabilities (CWE-400)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in BIG-IP

All BIG-IP vulnerabilities

Recent Uncontrolled Resource Consumption vulnerabilities

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