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Big Ip Local Traffic ManagerApplication · F5

CVE-2018-15333

MEDIUM · 5.5 CVSS v3.0 Published 2018-12-28
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to after 14.1.0 or later.
See remediation →
57/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
On versions 11.2.1. and greater, unrestricted Snapshot File Access allows BIG-IP system's user with any role, including Guest Role, to have access and download previously generated and available snapshot files on the BIG-IP configuration utility such as QKView and TCPDumps.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

F5 BIG-IP systems version 11.2.1 and later contain an authorization bypass where users assigned ANY role, including the lowest Guest role, can access and download previously generated snapshot files (QKView outputs and TCPDumps) through the configuration utility. The system fails to enforce role-based access controls on these sensitive diagnostic files.

MitigationRestrict access to snapshot files based on user role permissions. Apply available F5 hotfixes or upgrade to a patched version. If no patch exists, implement network-level controls to limit which users can access the configuration utility and consider disabling anonymous/guest access to sensitive endpoints.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Big Ip Local Traffic ManagerApplication
Affected:>= 11.2.1, <= 11.6.3>= 12.1.0, <= 12.1.4>= 13.0.0, <= 13.1.1>= 14.0.0, <= 14.1.0
Big Ip Advanced Firewall ManagerApplication
Affected:>= 11.2.1, <= 11.6.3>= 12.1.0, <= 12.1.4>= 13.0.0, <= 13.1.1>= 14.0.0, <= 14.1.0
Big Ip Application Acceleration ManagerApplication
Affected:>= 11.2.1, <= 11.6.3>= 12.1.0, <= 12.1.4>= 13.0.0, <= 13.1.1>= 14.0.0, <= 14.1.0
Big Ip AnalyticsApplication
Affected:>= 11.2.1, <= 11.6.3>= 12.1.0, <= 12.1.4>= 13.0.0, <= 13.1.1>= 14.0.0, <= 14.1.0
Big Ip Access Policy ManagerApplication
Affected:>= 11.2.1, <= 11.6.3>= 12.1.0, <= 12.1.4>= 13.0.0, <= 13.1.1>= 14.0.0, <= 14.1.0
Big Ip Domain Name SystemApplication
Affected:>= 11.2.1, <= 11.6.3>= 12.1.0, <= 12.1.4>= 13.0.0, <= 13.1.1>= 14.0.0, <= 14.1.0
Big Ip Edge GatewayWeb browser
Affected:>= 11.2.1, <= 11.6.3>= 12.1.0, <= 12.1.4>= 13.0.0, <= 13.1.1>= 14.0.0, <= 14.1.0
Big Ip Fraud Protection ServiceApplication
Affected:>= 11.2.1, <= 11.6.3>= 12.1.0, <= 12.1.4>= 13.0.0, <= 13.1.1>= 14.0.0, <= 14.1.0

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Check F5 BIG-IP version
    Run 'tmsh show sys version' or access System > Software Management > ISO Image in the configuration utility to determine the installed version
    Affected if The installed version falls within 11.2.1-11.6.3, 12.1.0-12.1.4, 13.0.0-13.1.1, or 14.0.0-14.1.0
  2. Identify existing QKView snapshot files
    Run 'ls -la /var/log/qkview/' or check the configuration utility at System > Logs > Auto Diagnostic Outputs for generated QKView files
    Affected if Any QKView or TCPDump snapshot files exist on the system
  3. Verify user role configuration
    Run 'tmsh list auth user' to list all users and their assigned roles, or view in the configuration utility under User Management > User List
    Affected if Any user account exists with Guest, Operator, or any non-administrative role and has access to the configuration utility
  4. Test diagnostic file access with limited role
    Log into the configuration utility using a Guest-level or other limited role account and attempt to navigate to System > Logs > Auto Diagnostic Outputs or directly access diagnostic file URLs
    Affected if A user with Guest or minimal role can view or download snapshot files without permission error

You are affected if your F5 BIG-IP version is within the vulnerable ranges AND any diagnostic snapshot files exist AND users with limited roles can access the configuration utility.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

From vendor data
Upgrade available Upgrade to a release after 14.1.0
Interim mitigation

Restrict access to snapshot files based on user role permissions. Apply available F5 hotfixes or upgrade to a patched version. If no patch exists, implement network-level controls to limit which users can access the configuration utility and consider disabling anonymous/guest access to sensitive endpoints.

Fix this in Big Ip Local Traffic Manager Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
12.0 hours of engineering $2,180
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,488.

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2018-15333 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data