HTTP/2 Rapid reset attack The HTTP/2 protocol allows clients to indicate to the server that a previous stream should be canceled by sending a RSTSTREAM frame. The protocol does not require the client and server to coordinate the cancellation in any way, the client may do it unilaterally. The client may also assume that the cancellation will take effect immediately when the server receives the RSTSTREAM frame, before any other data from that TCP connection is processed.
Abuse of this feature is called a Rapid Reset attack because it relies on the ability for an endpoint to send a RSTSTREAM frame immediately after sending a request frame, which makes the other endpoint start working and then rapidly resets the request. The request is canceled, but leaves the HTTP/2 connection open.
The HTTP/2 Rapid Reset attack built on this capability is simple: The client opens a large number of streams at once as in the standard HTTP/2 attack, but rather than waiting for a response to each request stream from the server or proxy, the client cancels each request immediately.
The ability to reset streams immediately allows each connection to have an indefinite number of requests in flight. By explicitly canceling the requests, the attacker never exceeds the limit on the number of concurrent open streams. The number of in-flight requests is no longer dependent on the round-trip time (RTT), but only on the available network bandwidth.
In a typical HTTP/2 server implementation, the server will still have to do significant amounts of work for canceled requests, such as allocating new stream data structures, parsing the query and doing header decompression, and mapping the URL to a resource. For reverse proxy implementations, the request may be proxied to the backend server before the RSTSTREAM frame is processed. The client on the other hand paid almost no costs for sending the requests. This creates an exploitable cost asymmetry between the server and the client.
Multiple software artifacts implementing HTTP/2 are affected. This advisory was originally ingested from the swift-nio-http2 repo advisory and their original conent follows.
swift-nio-http2 specific advisory swift-nio-http2 is vulnerable to a denial-of-service vulnerability in which a malicious client can create and then reset a large number of HTTP/2 streams in a short period of time. This causes swift-nio-http2 to commit to a large amount of expensive work which it then throws away, including creating entirely new Channels to serve the traffic. This can easily overwhelm an EventLoop and prevent it from making forward progress.
swift-nio-http2 1.28 contains a remediation for this issue that applies reset counter using a sliding window. This constrains the number of stream resets that may occur in a given window of time. Clients violating this limit will have their connections torn down. This allows clients to continue to cancel streams for legitimate reasons, while constraining malicious actors.
An authenticated SQL injection vulnerability exists in the BIG-IP Configuration utility which
may allow an authenticated attacker with network access to the Configuration utility through the BIG-IP management port and/or self IP addresses to execute arbitrary system commands.
Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated
F5 BIG-IP Configuration utility contains an authentication bypass using an alternate path or channel vulnerability due to undisclosed requests that may allow an unauthenticated attacker with network access to the BIG-IP system through the management port and/or self IP addresses to execute system commands. This vulnerability can be used in conjunction with CVE-2023-46748.
On specific hardware platforms, on BIG-IP versions 16.1.x before 16.1.3.1, 15.1.x before 15.1.7, 14.1.x before 14.1.5.1, and all versions of 13.1.x, while Intel QAT (QuickAssist Technology) and the AES-GCM/CCM cipher is in use, undisclosed conditions can cause BIG-IP to send data unencrypted even with an SSL Profile applied.
When TCP Verified Accept is enabled on a TCP profile that is configured on a Virtual Server, undisclosed requests can cause an increase in memory resource utilization. Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated
The BIG-IP and BIG-IQ systems do not encrypt some sensitive information written to Database (DB) variables.
Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated.
When TACACS+ audit forwarding is configured on a BIG-IP or BIG-IQ system, shared secret is logged in plaintext in the audit log.
An authenticated attacker with guest privileges or higher can cause the iControl SOAP process to terminate by sending undisclosed requests.
On BIG-IP versions 16.1.x before 16.1.3.3, 15.1.x before 15.1.8, 14.1.x before 14.1.5.3, and all versions of 13.1.x, when a SIP profile is configured on a Message Routing type virtual server, undisclosed traffic can cause TMM to terminate. Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated.
An open redirect vulnerability exists on virtual servers enabled with a BIG-IP APM access policy. This vulnerability allows an unauthenticated malicious attacker to build an open redirect URI.
On BIG-IP versions 16.1.x before 16.1.3.3, 15.1.x before 15.1.8.1, 14.1.x before 14.1.5.3, and all versions of 13.1.x, when a SIP profile is configured on a Message Routing type virtual server, undisclosed traffic can cause the Traffic Management Microkernel (TMM) to terminate. Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated.
In BIG-IP versions 17.0.x before 17.0.0.2, 16.1.x before 16.1.3.3, 15.1.x before 15.1.8.1, 14.1.x before 14.1.5.3, and all versions of 13.1.x, and all versions of BIG-IQ 8.x and 7.1.x, incorrect permission assignment vulnerabilities exist in the iControl REST and TMOS shell (tmsh) dig command which may allow an authenticated attacker with resource administrator or administrator role privileges to view sensitive information. Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated.
In BIP-IP versions 17.0.x before 17.0.0.2, 16.1.x before 16.1.3.3, 15.1.x before 15.1.8.1, 14.1.x before 14.1.5.3, and all versions of 13.1.x, when OCSP authentication profile is configured on a virtual server, undisclosed requests can cause an increase in CPU resource utilization. Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated.
A directory traversal vulnerability exists in the BIG-IP Configuration Utility that may allow an authenticated attacker to execute commands on the BIG-IP system. For BIG-IP system running in Appliance mode, a successful exploit can allow the attacker to cross a security boundary.
Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated.
Multiple reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities exist in undisclosed pages of the BIG-IP Configuration utility that allow an attacker to run JavaScript in the context of the currently logged-in user.
A directory traversal vulnerability exists in an undisclosed page of the BIG-IP Configuration utility that may allow an authenticated attacker to read files with an .xml extension. Access to restricted information is limited and the attacker does not control what information is obtained.
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 user with 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 keys of a different Guest.
The following BIG-IP hardware platforms are affected: 10350v-F, i5820-DF, i7820-DF, i15820-DF, 5250v-F, 7200v-F, 10200v-F, 6900-F, 8900-F, 11000-F, and 11050-F.
The BIG-IP rSeries r5920-DF and r10920-DF are not affected, nor does the issue affect software FIPS implementations or network HSM configurations.
Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated.
A reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability exists in an undisclosed page of the BIG-IP Configuration utility that allows an attacker to run JavaScript in the context of the currently logged-in user.
A cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability exists in an undisclosed page of the BIG-IP Configuration utility that allows an attacker to run JavaScript in the context of the currently logged-in user.
When IPsec is configured on a virtual server, undisclosed traffic can cause the Traffic Management Microkernel (TMM) to terminate.
When a non-admin user has been assigned an administrator role via an iControl REST PUT request and later the user's role is reverted back to a non-admin role via the Configuration utility, tmsh, or iControl REST, the BIG-IP non-admin user can still access the iControl REST admin resource.
The BIG-IP Edge Client Installer on macOS does not follow best practices for elevating privileges during the installation process.
Exposure of Sensitive Information vulnerability exist in an undisclosed BIG-IP TMOS shell (tmsh) command which may allow an authenticated attacker with resource administrator role privileges to view sensitive information.
Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated.
In BIG-IP Versions 16.1.x before 16.1.3, 15.1.x before 15.1.6.1, and 14.1.x before 14.1.5, when a BIG-IP APM access policy with Service Connect agent is configured on a virtual server, undisclosed requests can cause an increase in memory resource utilization. Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated.
On F5 SSL Orchestrator 14.1.0-14.1.0.5, on rare occasions, specific to a certain race condition, TMM may restart when SSL Forward Proxy enforces the bypass action for an SSL Orchestrator transparent virtual server with SNAT enabled.
On F5 SSL Orchestrator 14.1.0-14.1.0.5 and 14.0.0-14.0.0.4, undisclosed traffic flow may cause TMM to restart under certain circumstances.
On BIG-IP 16.0.0-16.0.0.1, 15.1.0-15.1.0.5, and 14.1.0-14.1.3, a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability exists in an undisclosed page of the BIG-IP Configuration utility.
In BIG-IP versions 15.1.0-15.1.0.4, 15.0.0-15.0.1.3, 14.1.0-14.1.2.3, 13.1.0-13.1.3.3, 12.1.0-12.1.5.1, and 11.6.1-11.6.5.1, the restjavad process's dump command does not follow current best coding practices and may overwrite arbitrary files.
In versions 16.0.0-16.0.0.1, 15.1.0-15.1.0.3, 15.0.0-15.0.1.3, 14.1.0-14.1.2.6, and 13.1.0-13.1.3.4, BIG-IP Virtual Edition (VE) systems on VMware, with an Intel-based 85299 Network Interface Controller (NIC) card and Single Root I/O Virtualization (SR-IOV) enabled on vSphere, may fail and leave the Traffic Management Microkernel (TMM) in a state where it cannot transmit traffic.
In versions 14.1.0-14.1.0.1 and 14.1.2.5-14.1.2.7, when a BIG-IP object is created or listed through the REST interface, the protected fields are obfuscated in the REST response, not protected via a SecureVault cryptogram as TMSH does. One example of protected fields is the GTM monitor password.