CVE-2017-0304 in BIG-IP AFM
Summary
by MITRE
A SQL injection vulnerability exists in the BIG-IP AFM management UI on versions 12.0.0, 12.1.0, 12.1.1, 12.1.2 and 13.0.0 that may allow a copy of the firewall rules to be tampered with and impact the Configuration Utility until there is a resync of the rules. Traffic processing and the live firewall rules in use are not affected.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/18/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0304 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) management user interface. This vulnerability specifically affects F5 Networks BIG-IP systems running versions 12.0.0, 12.1.0, 12.1.1, 12.1.2, and 13.0.0, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on these network security appliances. The flaw resides in the management interface component of the AFM module, which handles firewall rule configurations and management operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the web-based management interface of the BIG-IP AFM. When administrators interact with the configuration utility to manage firewall rules, the application fails to properly sanitize user inputs before incorporating them into SQL database queries. This allows authenticated attackers with access to the management interface to inject malicious SQL commands through crafted input fields. The vulnerability is classified as a CWE-89 SQL Injection, which falls under the broader category of injection flaws that represent one of the most prevalent security weaknesses in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation, as it specifically targets the configuration management aspect of the firewall system. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can manipulate the copy of firewall rules stored within the management database, potentially leading to unauthorized modifications of security policies. While the live traffic processing and active firewall rules remain unaffected, the configuration utility itself becomes compromised, requiring a full resynchronization of rules to restore proper functionality. This disruption affects the management capabilities of the system and could potentially be exploited to create persistent security weaknesses within the organization's network infrastructure.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 Valid Accounts, as it requires authentication to the management interface to exploit the flaw effectively. The attack surface is limited to authenticated users with access to the AFM management UI, but this still represents a significant risk given that administrative credentials are often highly privileged. The vulnerability's impact on the configuration utility creates a persistent threat vector that could be leveraged for further attacks or to establish long-term access to the network security infrastructure. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches, restricting access to the management interface, and implementing network segmentation to limit exposure to this vulnerability. The affected versions represent a critical security concern that requires immediate attention from network security administrators to prevent potential exploitation and maintain the integrity of their firewall configurations.