CVE-2021-22997Network attack vector

Information disclosure via unauthenticated clustering transport

Published Mar 31, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Missing authentication in the HA Elasticsearch service in F5 BIG-IQ Centralized Management 6.x and 7.x allows remote attackers to read cluster data. The clustering transport accepts network connections without authentication and carries all Elasticsearch transport data without encryption. Network reachability to the cluster interface is required; successful access exposes stored analytics and event data, with no established write or service-interruption impact.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability1.07%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Missing authentication in the HA Elasticsearch service in F5 BIG-IQ Centralized Management 6.x and 7.x allows remote attackers to read cluster data. The clustering transport accepts network connections without authentication and carries all Elasticsearch transport data without encryption. Network reachability to the cluster interface is required; successful access exposes stored analytics and event data, with no established write or service-interruption impact.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-22997
Published
Mar 31, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
F5 Networks
Product
BIG-IQ Centralized Management
Classifications
CWE-306, T1213
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 31, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=All 7.x and 6.x versions

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

F5 Networks · BIG-IQ Centralized Managementversion=All 7.x and 6.x versions

Published CVSS scores

5.0NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N
7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

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.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-306Missing Authentication for Critical Function
T1213Data from Information Repositories

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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