CVE-2022-1388 F5 BIG-IP: login or permission bypass
In plain words: A door that should be locked is not: part of the system can be reached without a valid login or permission. The attacker gets in as a user or administrator without knowing a password.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline May 31, 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 Missing Authentication Vulnerability
- Product
- F5 BIG-IP
- CISA description
- F5 BIG-IP contains a missing authentication in critical function vulnerability which can allow for remote code execution, creation or deletion of files, or disabling services.
- Type of flaw
- Login or permission bypass (CWE-306)
- Confirmed exploited
- May 10, 2022 — known to be used in ransomware attacks
- US federal patch deadline
- May 31, 2022
Ask Cleus about it
Ask about a vulnerability, an update, a weird message, or the news. Plain-word answers, free, no account.
Answering about CVE-2022-1388 ·
Questions about CVE-2022-1388
Is CVE-2022-1388 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2022-1388 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on May 10, 2022, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks, including by ransomware groups.
How do I fix CVE-2022-1388?
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-2022-1388?
Only if you use F5 BIG-IP. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.