CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2025-36504NVD status: Analyzed

BIG-IP: Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2025-36504 is a high-severity allocation of resources without limits or throttling 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 17.1.2, 16.1.6 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 0.45% 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 16.1.6, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update BIG-IP Next to 20.3.0 or a later version.
  3. Update BIG-IP Next SPK to 2.0.0 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 up to, but not including, 16.1.617.1.2, 16.1.6
F5BIG-IP Next20.2.0 up to, but not including, 20.3.020.3.0
F5BIG-IP Next SPK1.8.0 up to, but not including, 2.0.0; 1.7.0 and later2.0.0
F5BIG-IP Next CNF1.1.0 up to, but not including, 1.4.0; 1.1.0 and later1.4.0
F5Big-ip Access Policy Manager16.1.0 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 Manager16.1.0 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 Firewall16.1.0 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 Analytics16.1.0 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 Manager16.1.0 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 Manager16.1.0 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 Reporting16.1.0 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 Toolchain16.1.0 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 Nat16.1.0 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 Services16.1.0 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 Defender16.1.0 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 System16.1.0 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 Gateway16.1.0 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 Service16.1.0 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 Manager16.1.0 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 Controller16.1.0 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 Manager16.1.0 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 Manager16.1.0 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 Orchestrator16.1.0 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 Webaccelerator16.1.0 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 Websafe16.1.0 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; 3 further products are omitted here. 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 4.08.7HighCNA (f5.com)
CVSS 3.17.5HighCNA (f5.com)

Official description

When a BIG-IP HTTP/2 httprouter profile is configured on a virtual server, undisclosed responses 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: Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling

The product allocates a reusable resource or group of resources on behalf of an actor without imposing any intended restrictions on the size or number of resources that can be allocated.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Clearly specify the minimum and maximum expectations for capabilities, and dictate which behaviors are acceptable when resource allocation reaches limits.
  • Limit the amount of resources that are accessible to unprivileged users. Set per-user limits for resources. Allow the system administrator to define these limits. Be careful to avoid CWE-410.
  • 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 Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling vulnerabilities (CWE-770)

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 Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling vulnerabilities

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