CVE-2021-22986Known exploitationPublic exploitNetwork attack vector

Unauthenticated command execution via forged authorization headers

Published Mar 31, 2021 · Updated Oct 21, 2025

Remote command execution in F5 BIG-IP and BIG-IQ iControl REST allows remote attackers to execute system commands without authentication. The interface accepts a crafted request to /mgmt/tm/util/bash with forged Basic authorization and an empty X-F5-Auth-Token header, then passes attacker-controlled utilCmdArgs to the shell. Network access to the control plane through a management interface or self IP is required, and successful exploitation grants complete system control, including file creation or deletion and service disablement.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability99.90%
Next 30 days · Nov 1, 2026
Known exploitationReported
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Remote command execution in F5 BIG-IP and BIG-IQ iControl REST allows remote attackers to execute system commands without authentication. The interface accepts a crafted request to /mgmt/tm/util/bash with forged Basic authorization and an empty X-F5-Auth-Token header, then passes attacker-controlled utilCmdArgs to the shell. Network access to the control plane through a management interface or self IP is required, and successful exploitation grants complete system control, including file creation or deletion and service disablement.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-22986
Published
Mar 31, 2021
Updated
Oct 21, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-863, CWE-918, T1059.004, T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 31, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 3, 2021Exploitation reportedCISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities listing
  3. Oct 21, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

9.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
10.0NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

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.

Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.

Daily unique IPsShadowserver observations through Sep 28, 2026. Gaps indicate unavailable data.
Sep 22, 2026Sep 28, 2026
View daily counts
Reporting dayUnique IPs
Sep 22, 20269
Sep 23, 20263
Sep 24, 20266
Sep 25, 202614
Sep 26, 20267
Sep 27, 202615
Sep 28, 20268
Latest reporting daySep 28, 2026
Latest daily unique IPs8
Prior 30-day average4.5
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationReported
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-863Incorrect Authorization
CWE-918Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)
T1059.004Command and Scripting Interpreter Unix Shell
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Reported exploitation

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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