CVE-2020-5902 F5 BIG-IP: file path flaw
In plain words: The program can be tricked into reading or writing files outside the folder it should stay in. Leaks files such as passwords and settings, or overwrites important ones.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline May 3, 2022
What to do
- Install F5's security update for BIG-IP. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships.
- Patch edge devices first — attackers often start scanning for them within hours of a fix.
- Never expose the device's admin page to the internet.
- After patching a device that was exposed, follow the vendor's compromise checks, end active sessions and change passwords.
Who is affected
Work IT. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.
What's at risk: They face the internet and guard the whole network, so a flaw here can hand attackers a way in — and these devices usually run no antivirus, so break-ins go unnoticed.
The details
- Official name
- F5 BIG-IP Traffic Management User Interface (TMUI) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
- Product
- F5 BIG-IP
- CISA description
- F5 BIG-IP Traffic Management User Interface (TMUI) contains a remote code execution vulnerability in undisclosed pages.
- Type of flaw
- File path flaw (CWE-22)
- Confirmed exploited
- Nov 3, 2021 — known to be used in ransomware attacks
- US federal patch deadline
- May 3, 2022
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Answering about CVE-2020-5902 ·
Questions about CVE-2020-5902
Is CVE-2020-5902 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2020-5902 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Nov 3, 2021, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks, including by ransomware groups.
How do I fix CVE-2020-5902?
Install F5's security update for BIG-IP. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships. Patch edge devices first — attackers often start scanning for them within hours of a fix.
Am I affected by CVE-2020-5902?
Only if you use F5 BIG-IP. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.