CVE-2025-53868NVD status: Analyzed
BIG-IP: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command
CVE-2025-53868 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 8.7 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 17.5.1, 17.1.3.1, 16.1.6.1 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 0.44% 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
- Update BIG-IP to 17.5.1 or 17.1.3.1 or 16.1.6.1 or 15.1.10.8, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Big-ip Access Policy Manager to 15.1.10.8 or 16.1.6.1 or 17.1.3, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Big-ip Advanced Firewall Manager to 15.1.10.8 or 16.1.6.1 or 17.1.3, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Read the advisory on my.f5.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| F5 | BIG-IP | 17.5.0 up to, but not including, 17.5.1; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.3.1; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6.1; 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.8 | 17.5.1, 17.1.3.1, 16.1.6.1, 15.1.10.8 |
| F5 | Big-ip Access Policy Manager | 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.8; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6.1; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.3; 17.5.0 through 17.5.1 | 15.1.10.8, 16.1.6.1, 17.1.3 |
| F5 | Big-ip Advanced Firewall Manager | 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.8; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6.1; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.3; 17.5.0 through 17.5.1 | 15.1.10.8, 16.1.6.1, 17.1.3 |
| F5 | Big-ip Advanced Web Application Firewall | 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.8; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6.1; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.3; 17.5.0 through 17.5.1 | 15.1.10.8, 16.1.6.1, 17.1.3 |
| F5 | Big-ip Analytics | 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.8; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6.1; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.3; 17.5.0 through 17.5.1 | 15.1.10.8, 16.1.6.1, 17.1.3 |
| F5 | Big-ip Application Acceleration Manager | 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.8; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6.1; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.3; 17.5.0 through 17.5.1 | 15.1.10.8, 16.1.6.1, 17.1.3 |
| F5 | Big-ip Application Security Manager | 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.8; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6.1; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.3; 17.5.0 through 17.5.1 | 15.1.10.8, 16.1.6.1, 17.1.3 |
| F5 | Big-ip Application Visibility And Reporting | 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.8; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6.1; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.3; 17.5.0 through 17.5.1 | 15.1.10.8, 16.1.6.1, 17.1.3 |
| F5 | Big-ip Automation Toolchain | 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.8; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6.1; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.3; 17.5.0 through 17.5.1 | 15.1.10.8, 16.1.6.1, 17.1.3 |
| F5 | Big-ip Carrier-grade Nat | 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.8; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6.1; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.3; 17.5.0 through 17.5.1 | 15.1.10.8, 16.1.6.1, 17.1.3 |
| F5 | Big-ip Container Ingress Services | 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.8; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6.1; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.3; 17.5.0 through 17.5.1 | 15.1.10.8, 16.1.6.1, 17.1.3 |
| F5 | Big-ip Ddos Hybrid Defender | 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.8; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6.1; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.3; 17.5.0 through 17.5.1 | 15.1.10.8, 16.1.6.1, 17.1.3 |
| F5 | Big-ip Domain Name System | 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.8; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6.1; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.3; 17.5.0 through 17.5.1 | 15.1.10.8, 16.1.6.1, 17.1.3 |
| F5 | Big-ip Edge Gateway | 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.8; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6.1; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.3; 17.5.0 through 17.5.1 | 15.1.10.8, 16.1.6.1, 17.1.3 |
| F5 | Big-ip Fraud Protection Service | 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.8; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6.1; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.3; 17.5.0 through 17.5.1 | 15.1.10.8, 16.1.6.1, 17.1.3 |
| F5 | Big-ip Global Traffic Manager | 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.8; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6.1; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.3 | 15.1.10.8, 16.1.6.1, 17.1.3 |
| F5 | Big-ip Link Controller | 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.8; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6.1; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.3; 17.5.0 through 17.5.1 | 15.1.10.8, 16.1.6.1, 17.1.3 |
| F5 | Big-ip Local Traffic Manager | 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.8; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6.1; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.3; 17.5.0 through 17.5.1 | 15.1.10.8, 16.1.6.1, 17.1.3 |
| F5 | Big-ip Policy Enforcement Manager | 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.8; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6.1; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.3; 17.5.0 through 17.5.1 | 15.1.10.8, 16.1.6.1, 17.1.3 |
| F5 | Big-ip SSL Orchestrator | 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.8; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6.1; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.3; 17.5.0 through 17.5.1 | 15.1.10.8, 16.1.6.1, 17.1.3 |
| F5 | Big-ip Webaccelerator | 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.8; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6.1; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.3; 17.5.0 through 17.5.1 | 15.1.10.8, 16.1.6.1, 17.1.3 |
| F5 | Big-ip Websafe | 15.1.0 up to, but not including, 15.1.10.8; 16.1.0 up to, but not including, 16.1.6.1; 17.1.0 up to, but not including, 17.1.3; 17.5.0 through 17.5.1 | 15.1.10.8, 16.1.6.1, 17.1.3 |
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
- 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 NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 4.0 | 8.5 | High | CNA (f5.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 8.7 | High | CNA (f5.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 8.7 | High | NVD |
Official description
When running in Appliance mode, a highly privileged authenticated attacker with access to SCP and SFTP may be able to bypass Appliance mode restrictions using undisclosed commands. 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
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
Other vulnerabilities in BIG-IP
- 9.8 Critical severity
F5 BIG-IP APM Heap-based Buffer Overflow Exploited
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.7 High severity
- 8.7 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
Recent Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command vulnerabilities
- 9.3 Critical severity
- 9.3 Critical severity
- 8.6 High severity
- 7.0 High severity
- 7.2 High severity
- 7.2 High severity
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