CVE-2015-7394 in BIG-IP
Summary
by MITRE
The datastor kernel module in F5 BIG-IP Analytics, APM, ASM, Link Controller, and LTM 11.1.0 before 12.0.0, BIG-IP AAM 11.4.0 before 12.0.0, BIG-IP AFM, PEM 11.3.0 before 12.0.0, BIG-IP Edge Gateway, WebAccelerator, and WOM 11.1.0 through 11.3.0, BIG-IP GTM 11.1.0 through 11.6.0, BIG-IP PSM 11.1.0 through 11.4.1, BIG-IQ Cloud and Security 4.0.0 through 4.5.0, BIG-IQ Device 4.2.0 through 4.5.0, BIG-IQ ADC 4.5.0, and Enterprise Manager 3.0.0 through 3.1.1 allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service or gain privileges by leveraging permission to upload and execute code.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/26/2022
The CVE-2015-7394 vulnerability represents a critical privilege escalation and denial of service flaw within the F5 BIG-IP product line, specifically targeting the datastor kernel module. This vulnerability affects multiple F5 BIG-IP modules including Analytics, APM, ASM, Link Controller, LTM, AAM, AFM, PEM, Edge Gateway, WebAccelerator, WOM, GTM, PSM, BIG-IQ Cloud and Security, BIG-IQ Device, BIG-IQ ADC, and Enterprise Manager across various version ranges. The flaw stems from insufficient access controls and improper validation within the kernel module, creating a pathway for authenticated attackers to exploit the system. According to CWE-284, this vulnerability manifests as an improper access control issue where the datastor module fails to properly enforce permission boundaries, allowing unauthorized privilege elevation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves an attacker with valid authentication credentials being able to upload and execute arbitrary code on the affected systems. The datastor kernel module, which handles data storage operations, contains a flaw that permits authenticated users to manipulate kernel-level operations through crafted data uploads. This creates a direct pathway for privilege escalation from authenticated user level to root or administrative privileges, as the module does not properly validate the integrity and permissions of uploaded data before processing. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the kernel level, where any successful exploitation immediately grants the attacker complete control over the system's underlying operations.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability exposes organizations to severe security risks including complete system compromise and denial of service conditions. Attackers can leverage this flaw to gain unauthorized access to sensitive network infrastructure, potentially leading to data breaches, service disruptions, and complete network outages. The vulnerability's presence across multiple F5 BIG-IP modules means that organizations with complex network infrastructures using various F5 products are at risk, creating widespread exposure potential. The attack vector requires only authenticated access, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by insiders or compromised accounts, and according to ATT&CK framework technique T1068, this represents a privilege escalation pathway that can be used to gain higher-level system access.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches from F5, which address the underlying permission validation flaws in the datastor kernel module. Network segmentation and access control restrictions should be enforced to limit the scope of potential exploitation, particularly for accounts with upload privileges. Regular security audits and monitoring of kernel module operations should be implemented to detect anomalous behavior patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper kernel module security design and access control enforcement, as highlighted in industry standards such as NIST SP 800-53 controls related to access control and system integrity. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security measures like application whitelisting, kernel integrity monitoring, and comprehensive network traffic analysis to detect exploitation attempts. Given the widespread impact across multiple F5 product lines, coordinated patch management across all affected systems is essential to prevent successful exploitation and maintain network security posture.