CVE-2017-6142 in BIG-IP
Summary
by MITRE
X509 certificate verification was not correctly implemented in the early access "user id" feature in the F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager versions 13.0.0, 12.1.0-12.1.2, and 11.6.0-11.6.2, and thus did not properly validate the remote server's identity on certain versions of BIG-IP.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/02/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-6142 represents a critical flaw in the F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager's certificate verification implementation within its early access user id feature. This weakness specifically affects versions 13.0.0, 12.1.0 through 12.1.2, and 11.6.0 through 11.6.2 of the firewall manager software. The flaw stems from improper X509 certificate validation mechanisms that fail to adequately authenticate remote server identities during secure communications. This vulnerability directly impacts the cryptographic security posture of affected systems by allowing potential man-in-the-middle attacks where malicious actors could impersonate legitimate servers without proper authentication.
The technical implementation error manifests in the certificate validation process where the system does not properly verify the authenticity of X509 certificates presented by remote servers. This failure occurs specifically within the early access user id functionality, suggesting that the vulnerability exists in how the system handles authentication tokens or session management when establishing secure connections. The flaw creates an attack surface where an adversary could potentially bypass security controls by presenting forged certificates that would be accepted due to the incomplete validation logic. This issue aligns with CWE-295 which addresses improper certificate validation and certificate pinning failures, representing a fundamental breakdown in the trust model that secure communications rely upon.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple authentication bypasses to potentially compromise entire network security infrastructures. Organizations utilizing affected BIG-IP versions may experience unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption of secure communication channels, and potential lateral movement within networks where the firewall manager serves as a security control. The vulnerability's presence in multiple version streams indicates a systemic issue that could affect organizations across different deployment scenarios, from enterprise data centers to cloud environments where F5 appliances are deployed. Attackers could exploit this weakness to intercept encrypted communications, modify data in transit, or establish persistent access points within secured network boundaries.
Security professionals should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to patched versions of the F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager software, as this vulnerability represents a significant risk to network security operations. Organizations should also consider implementing additional monitoring for unusual authentication patterns or certificate-related anomalies within their network traffic. The remediation process must include comprehensive testing of updated configurations to ensure that certificate validation functions properly across all network segments. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving credential access and defense evasion, as attackers could leverage the compromised authentication mechanism to maintain persistent access while avoiding detection through normal security monitoring processes.