CVE-2021-23012

Administrator command execution via support-item validation failure

Published May 10, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Command injection in F5 Networks BIG-IP allows administrative users to execute arbitrary bash commands through system support items. The system support functionality fails to validate items before incorporating them into bash command processing. Resource Administrator or Administrator access is required, and successful exploitation permits arbitrary command execution on the appliance.

CVSS severity8.2
High
EPSS probability0.27%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Command injection in F5 Networks BIG-IP allows administrative users to execute arbitrary bash commands through system support items. The system support functionality fails to validate items before incorporating them into bash command processing. Resource Administrator or Administrator access is required, and successful exploitation permits arbitrary command execution on the appliance.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-23012
Published
May 10, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
F5 Networks
Product
BIG-IP
Classifications
CWE-78, T1059.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 10, 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=16.0.x before 16.0.1.1, 15.1.x before 15.1.3, 14.1.x before 14.1.4, and 13.1.x before 13.1.4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

F5 Networks · BIG-IPversion=16.0.x before 16.0.1.1, 15.1.x before 15.1.3, 14.1.x before 14.1.4, and 13.1.x before 13.1.4

Published CVSS scores

8.2NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.2NIST NVDAV:L/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.

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

No observations available

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

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-78Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
T1059.004Unix Shell

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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