CVE-2022-1388Known exploitationPublic exploitNetwork attack vector

Unauthenticated command execution via crafted HTTP headers

Published May 5, 2022 · Updated Oct 21, 2025

Authentication bypass in F5 BIG-IP allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary system commands through the iControl REST API. The API accepts a crafted request when Connection names X-F5-Auth-Token, Host is localhost, and Basic authentication names admin with any password. Network access to the management port or a self IP is required; successful requests run commands as root and can create or delete files or disable services.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability99.96%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationReported
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Authentication bypass in F5 BIG-IP allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary system commands through the iControl REST API. The API accepts a crafted request when Connection names X-F5-Auth-Token, Host is localhost, and Basic authentication names admin with any password. Network access to the management port or a self IP is required; successful requests run commands as root and can create or delete files or disable services.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-1388
Published
May 5, 2022
Updated
Oct 21, 2025
Vendor
F5 Networks
Product
BIG-IP
Classifications
CWE-306, T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 5, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. 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?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=11.6.x <=11.6.5
  2. Affected versionversion=12.1.x <=12.1.6
  3. Affected versionversion=13.1.x <13.1.5
  4. Affected versionversion=14.1.x <14.1.4.6
  5. Affected versionversion=15.1.x <15.1.5.1
  6. Affected versionversion=16.1.x <16.1.2.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

F5 Networks · BIG-IPversion=11.6.x <=11.6.5; version=12.1.x <=12.1.6; version=13.1.x <13.1.5; version=14.1.x <14.1.4.6; version=15.1.x <15.1.5.1; version=16.1.x <16.1.2.2

Published CVSS scores

7.5NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
9.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.8F5CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/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 IPsShadowserver observations through Sep 16, 2026. Gaps indicate unavailable data.
Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
View daily counts
Reporting dayUnique IPs
Sep 10, 2026Unavailable
Sep 11, 2026Unavailable
Sep 12, 2026Unavailable
Sep 13, 2026Unavailable
Sep 14, 20262
Sep 15, 20261
Sep 16, 20263
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPs3
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationReported
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-306Missing Authentication for Critical Function
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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

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