CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2025-31644NVD status: Analyzed

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

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2025-31644 is a high-severity improper neutralization of special elements used in a command vulnerability in BIG-IP from F5, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.7 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 17.1.2.2, 16.1.6, 15.1.10.7 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 24.3% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is in the top 2.1% of all scored CVEs.

Patch this week

EPSS places it among the vulnerabilities most likely to be exploited soon.

What to do

  1. Update BIG-IP to 17.1.2.2 or 16.1.6 or 15.1.10.7, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update Big-ip Access Policy Manager to 15.1.10.7 or 16.1.6 or 17.1.2.2, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  3. Update Big-ip Advanced Firewall Manager to 15.1.10.7 or 16.1.6 or 17.1.2.2, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  4. 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, 17.1.2.2; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.717.1.2.2, 16.1.6, 15.1.10.7
F5Big-ip Access Policy Manager15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.7; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.2.215.1.10.7, 16.1.6, 17.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Advanced Firewall Manager15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.7; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.2.215.1.10.7, 16.1.6, 17.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Advanced Web Application Firewall15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.7; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.2.215.1.10.7, 16.1.6, 17.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Analytics15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.7; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.2.215.1.10.7, 16.1.6, 17.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Application Acceleration Manager15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.7; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.2.215.1.10.7, 16.1.6, 17.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Application Security Manager15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.7; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.2.215.1.10.7, 16.1.6, 17.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Application Visibility And Reporting15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.7; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.2.215.1.10.7, 16.1.6, 17.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Automation Toolchain15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.7; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.2.215.1.10.7, 16.1.6, 17.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Carrier-grade Nat15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.7; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.2.215.1.10.7, 16.1.6, 17.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Container Ingress Services15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.7; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.2.215.1.10.7, 16.1.6, 17.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Ddos Hybrid Defender15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.7; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.2.215.1.10.7, 16.1.6, 17.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Domain Name System15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.7; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.2.215.1.10.7, 16.1.6, 17.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Edge Gateway15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.7; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.2.215.1.10.7, 16.1.6, 17.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Fraud Protection Service15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.7; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.2.215.1.10.7, 16.1.6, 17.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Global Traffic Manager15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.7; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.2.215.1.10.7, 16.1.6, 17.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Link Controller15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.7; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.2.215.1.10.7, 16.1.6, 17.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Local Traffic Manager15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.7; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.2.215.1.10.7, 16.1.6, 17.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Policy Enforcement Manager15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.7; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.2.215.1.10.7, 16.1.6, 17.1.2.2
F5Big-ip SSL Orchestrator15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.7; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.2.215.1.10.7, 16.1.6, 17.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Webaccelerator15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.7; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.2.215.1.10.7, 16.1.6, 17.1.2.2
F5Big-ip Websafe15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.7; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.2.215.1.10.7, 16.1.6, 17.1.2.2

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
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
NoneAvailability is not affected.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N. Scored by CNA (f5.com).

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 4.08.5HighCNA (f5.com)
CVSS 3.18.7HighCNA (f5.com)

Official description

When running in Appliance mode, a command injection vulnerability exists in an undisclosed iControl REST and BIG-IP TMOS Shell (tmsh) command which may allow an authenticated attacker with administrator role privileges to execute arbitrary system commands. 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 Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command

The product constructs all or part of a command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended command when 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.
  • If possible, ensure that all external commands called from the program are statically created.
  • Run time: Run time policy enforcement may be used in an allowlist fashion to prevent use of any non-sanctioned commands.

More Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command vulnerabilities (CWE-77)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, 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 a Command vulnerabilities

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