F5-K000135449: Medium severity f5 big-ip and big-iq centralized management vulnerability

Published Aug 2, 2023
·
Updated

Specific F5 BIG-IP platforms with Cavium Nitrox FIPS HSM cards generate a deterministic password for the Crypto User account. The predictable nature of the password allows an authenticated attacker with TMOS Shell (tmsh) access to the BIG-IP system, or anyone with physical access to the FIPS HSM, the information required to generate the correct password. On vCMP systems, all Guests share the same deterministic password, allowing those with tmsh access on one Guest to access FIPS HSM partitions belonging to other Guests.

Affected Software

4 affected componentsFixes available
F5 BIG-IP
16.0.0
F5 BIG-IP=15.1.0
15.1.1
F5 BIG-IP>=14.1.0<=14.1.3
14.1.4
F5 BIG-IP>=13.1.0<=13.1.3
13.1.4

Event History

Aug 2, 2023
Advisory Published
via F5·01:20 PM

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of F5-K000135449?

The F5-K000135449 vulnerability has a high severity due to the predictable password generated for the Crypto User account.

2

How do I fix F5-K000135449?

To fix F5-K000135449, upgrade your F5 BIG-IP version to 16.0.0, 15.1.1, 14.1.4, or 13.1.4 as specified in the advisory.

3

Who is affected by F5-K000135449?

F5-K000135449 affects specific F5 BIG-IP platforms that use Cavium Nitrox FIPS HSM cards.

4

What happens if I don't mitigate F5-K000135449?

If F5-K000135449 is not mitigated, an authenticated attacker or someone with physical access to the FIPS HSM could exploit the predictable password to gain unauthorized access.

5

How can I determine if my system is vulnerable to F5-K000135449?

You can determine if your system is vulnerable to F5-K000135449 by checking if it is running the affected versions of F5 BIG-IP that utilize Cavium Nitrox FIPS HSM cards.

Contact

SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
132 Wickham Terrace
Fortitude Valley,
QLD 4006, Australia
info@secalerts.co
By using SecAlerts services, you agree to our services end-user license agreement. This website is safeguarded by reCAPTCHA and governed by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. All names, logos, and brands of products are owned by their respective owners, and any usage of these names, logos, and brands for identification purposes only does not imply endorsement. If you possess any content that requires removal, please get in touch with us.
© 2026 SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
ABN: 70 645 966 203, ACN: 645 966 203