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Big Ip Access Policy ManagerApplication · F5

CVE-2023-22374

HIGH · 8.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-02-01
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to after 16.1.3 or later.
See remediation →
91/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
High EPSS Remotely reachable 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
A format string vulnerability exists in iControl SOAP that allows an authenticated attacker to crash the iControl SOAP CGI process or, potentially execute arbitrary code. In appliance mode BIG-IP, a successful exploit of this vulnerability can allow the attacker to cross a security boundary.  Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated.

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 · moderate confidence

A format string vulnerability exists in F5 BIG-IP iControl SOAP that allows an authenticated attacker to crash the iControl SOAP CGI process or potentially execute arbitrary code through specially crafted format string specifiers in user input.

MitigationApply the vendor-supplied patch for CVE-2023-22374 when available; until then, restrict access to iControl SOAP interfaces to only trusted authenticated users and monitor for signs of exploitation.

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 Access Policy ManagerApplication
Affected:>= 14.1.4.6, <= 14.1.5>= 15.1.5.1, <= 15.1.8>= 16.1.2.2, <= 16.1.3= 13.1.5= 17.0.0
Big Ip Advanced Firewall ManagerApplication
Affected:>= 14.1.4.6, <= 14.1.5>= 15.1.5.1, <= 15.1.8>= 16.1.2.2, <= 16.1.3= 13.1.5= 17.0.0
Big Ip AnalyticsApplication
Affected:>= 14.1.4.6, <= 14.1.5>= 15.1.5.1, <= 15.1.8>= 16.1.2.2, <= 16.1.3= 13.1.5= 17.0.0
Big Ip Application Acceleration ManagerApplication
Affected:>= 15.1.5.1, <= 15.1.8>= 16.1.2.2, <= 16.1.3= 13.1.5= 17.0.0
Big Ip Application Security ManagerApplication
Affected:>= 14.1.4.6, <= 14.1.5>= 15.1.5.1, <= 15.1.8>= 16.1.2.2, <= 16.1.3= 13.1.0= 17.0.0
Big Ip Ddos Hybrid DefenderApplication
Affected:>= 14.1.4.6, <= 14.1.5>= 15.1.5.1, <= 15.1.8>= 16.1.2.2, <= 16.1.3= 13.1.5
Big Ip Domain Name SystemApplication
Affected:>= 14.1.4.6, <= 14.1.5>= 15.1.5.1, <= 15.1.8>= 16.1.2.2, <= 16.1.3= 17.0.0
Big Ip Fraud Protection ServiceApplication
Affected:>= 15.1.5.1, <= 15.1.8>= 16.1.2.2, <= 16.1.3= 13.1.5= 17.0.0

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
Network
Complexity
High
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

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. Determine BIG-IP version
    Run 'tmsh show sys version' on the command line or check the web UI under System > Software Management > Installed Versions
    Affected if The version output matches any of these ranges: 14.1.4.6-14.1.5, 15.1.5.1-15.1.8, 16.1.2.2-16.1.3, 13.1.5, or 17.0.0 for your deployed modules
  2. Identify deployed BIG-IP modules
    Run 'tmsh list sys module' to list all installed module licenses, or check System > Resource > Modules in the web UI
    Affected if Any of these modules are licensed and running: Access Policy Manager, Advanced Firewall Manager, Analytics, Application Acceleration Manager, Application Security Manager, Ddos Hybrid Defender, Domain Name System, or Fraud Protection Service
  3. Verify iControl SOAP is accessible
    Check if port 443 or 8443 responds to iControl SOAP requests, or review System > Configuration > Device > SOAP in the web UI to confirm the service is enabled
    Affected if iControl SOAP interface is enabled and reachable on the network
  4. Confirm authentication method
    Review access logs for iControl SOAP endpoint /iControl/iControl.cgi and check authentication configuration in Access Policy Manager if deployed
    Affected if iControl SOAP accepts authenticated user sessions, as the flaw requires an authenticated attacker

You are affected if your BIG-IP version falls within the listed ranges AND iControl SOAP is enabled with authenticated user access.

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 16.1.3
Interim mitigation

Apply the vendor-supplied patch for CVE-2023-22374 when available; until then, restrict access to iControl SOAP interfaces to only trusted authenticated users and monitor for signs of exploitation.

Fix this in Big Ip Access Policy Manager Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
15.0 hours of engineering $2,580
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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-2023-22374 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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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