CVE-2021-23015Network attack vector

Administrator restriction bypass via undisclosed REST endpoints

Published May 10, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Authorization bypass in F5 Networks BIG-IP affected releases allows remote authenticated users to escape Appliance Mode restrictions. Undisclosed iControl REST endpoints fail to enforce Appliance Mode controls; release notes associate the defect with the Guided Configuration Bundle Install worker and iControl hardening. An Administrator-role account and Appliance Mode are required, after which restricted administrative actions and remote command execution become available.

CVSS severity7.2
High
EPSS probability1.34%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Authorization bypass in F5 Networks BIG-IP affected releases allows remote authenticated users to escape Appliance Mode restrictions. Undisclosed iControl REST endpoints fail to enforce Appliance Mode controls; release notes associate the defect with the Guided Configuration Bundle Install worker and iControl hardening. An Administrator-role account and Appliance Mode are required, after which restricted administrative actions and remote command execution become available.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-23015
Published
May 10, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
F5 Networks
Product
BIG-IP
Classifications
CWE-863, T1068
Attack vector
network
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

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

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=15.1.x before 15.1.3, 14.1.x before 14.1.4.2, 13.1.0.8 through 13.1.3.6, and all versions of 16.0.x.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

F5 Networks · BIG-IPversion=15.1.x before 15.1.3, 14.1.x before 14.1.4.2, 13.1.0.8 through 13.1.3.6, and all versions of 16.0.x.

Published CVSS scores

6.5NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.2NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-863Incorrect Authorization
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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