CVE-2017-6167 in BIG-IP
Summary
by MITRE
In F5 BIG-IP LTM, AAM, AFM, Analytics, APM, ASM, DNS, Link Controller, PEM and WebSafe software version 13.0.0 and 12.1.0 - 12.1.2, race conditions in iControl REST may lead to commands being executed with different privilege levels than expected.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/18/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-6167 affects F5 BIG-IP software across multiple modules including Local Traffic Manager AAM AFM Analytics APM ASM DNS Link Controller PEM and WebSafe with versions 1300 and 1210 through 1212. This represents a critical privilege escalation issue that stems from race conditions within the iControl REST interface. The fundamental flaw lies in how the system handles concurrent requests and privilege validation during command execution processes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits timing discrepancies in the iControl REST API where multiple simultaneous requests can interfere with each other's privilege checking mechanisms. When commands are processed through the REST interface the system fails to properly synchronize access controls during race conditions, allowing an attacker to potentially execute commands with elevated privileges that would normally be restricted. This issue manifests specifically in scenarios where administrative operations are being performed concurrently with user-level operations, creating opportunities for privilege level manipulation.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-6167 is severe as it enables unauthorized privilege escalation attacks that can compromise the entire BIG-IP system. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can gain administrative access to the device which would allow them to modify configurations, access sensitive data, disable security features, and potentially establish persistent access. The affected modules span across the entire F5 BIG-IP security and traffic management platform, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it affects core infrastructure components that many organizations depend upon for network security and traffic control.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches from F5 which address the race condition issues in the iControl REST interface. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure to the iControl REST API particularly from untrusted networks. Monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns of API access that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-362 which describes race conditions and ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers privilege escalation through local exploits. Additionally organizations should consider implementing the principle of least privilege for API access and regularly review access controls to ensure that only authorized personnel can perform administrative operations through the iControl REST interface.
This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper synchronization mechanisms in security-critical systems and highlights how seemingly minor race condition issues can result in significant privilege escalation capabilities. The affected F5 BIG-IP versions represent a substantial attack surface that organizations must address promptly through patch management and security hardening procedures. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive assessments of their BIG-IP deployments to identify any potential exploitation vectors and ensure that appropriate defensive measures are in place to prevent unauthorized access to administrative functions through the iControl REST API interface.