CVE-2021-22974Network attack vector

Privilege escalation via iControl REST race condition

Published Feb 12, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Race condition in iControl REST in F5 BIG-IP and BIG-IQ allows remote authenticated users to execute commands with elevated privileges. The iControl REST control-plane path permits concurrent operations on a shared resource without proper synchronization, although F5 has not disclosed the affected function or resource. The user must already have authenticated control-plane access; successful exploitation crosses that account's privilege boundary and runs commands at a higher level.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.83%
Next 30 days · Sep 17, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Race condition in iControl REST in F5 BIG-IP and BIG-IQ allows remote authenticated users to execute commands with elevated privileges. The iControl REST control-plane path permits concurrent operations on a shared resource without proper synchronization, although F5 has not disclosed the affected function or resource. The user must already have authenticated control-plane access; successful exploitation crosses that account's privilege boundary and runs commands at a higher level.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-22974
Published
Feb 12, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-362, T1068
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 12, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

6.0NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 11, 2026Sep 17, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 17, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-362Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition')
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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