CVE-2021-23024Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Root command execution via connection-test injection

Published Jun 10, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Command injection in F5 BIG-IQ 8.0.x before 8.0.0.1 and all 6.x and 7.x allows remote authenticated users to execute root commands. The easy-setup-test-connection REST handler passes attacker-controlled DNS or NTP server values to a system shell without neutralizing command separators. An administrative BIG-IQ account and network access to the Configuration utility are required; successful requests run with root privileges.

CVSS severity7.2
High
EPSS probability5.35%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Command injection in F5 BIG-IQ 8.0.x before 8.0.0.1 and all 6.x and 7.x allows remote authenticated users to execute root commands. The easy-setup-test-connection REST handler passes attacker-controlled DNS or NTP server values to a system shell without neutralizing command separators. An administrative BIG-IQ account and network access to the Configuration utility are required; successful requests run with root privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-23024
Published
Jun 10, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
F5 Networks
Product
BIG-IQ Centralized Management
Classifications
T1059.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 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=8.0.x before 8.0.0.1, and all 6.x and 7.x versions

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

F5 Networks · BIG-IQ Centralized Managementversion=8.0.x before 8.0.0.1, and all 6.x and 7.x versions

Published CVSS scores

7.2NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.0NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1059.004Unix Shell

Public exploit references

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

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo