CVE-2018-15310 in BIG-IP APM
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in BIG-IP APM portal access 11.5.1-11.5.7, 11.6.0-11.6.3, and 12.1.0-12.1.3 discloses the BIG-IP software version in rewritten pages.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/16/2023
This vulnerability exists within the BIG-IP Application Portal Manager component of F5 Networks' BIG-IP software suite, specifically affecting versions ranging from 11.5.1 through 11.5.7, 11.6.0 through 11.6.3, and 12.1.0 through 12.1.3. The flaw manifests as an information disclosure issue where the system inadvertently reveals its software version number within rewritten web pages that are served to authenticated users. This occurs during the portal access process when the application portal manager generates dynamic content for user sessions, embedding version information within the HTML response headers or page content itself. The vulnerability represents a significant security risk as it provides attackers with precise version information that can be used to identify potential exploits specific to those software versions, effectively removing the element of surprise from security assessments. This type of information disclosure aligns with CWE-200, which categorizes improper exposure of sensitive information, and can be leveraged by threat actors to conduct targeted attacks against known vulnerabilities within the specific version ranges. The vulnerability operates through the application portal's response handling mechanism where configuration files or system metadata containing version identifiers are included in the dynamically generated content without proper sanitization or filtering.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when authenticated users access portal resources through the BIG-IP APM system, triggering the generation of rewritten web pages that contain embedded version information. This typically manifests in HTTP response headers, HTML meta tags, or embedded JavaScript variables that reference the BIG-IP software version. Attackers can leverage this information to map the target environment against known vulnerability databases and exploit patterns specific to the disclosed version numbers. The impact extends beyond simple version disclosure as it enables more sophisticated attack vectors including exploitation of known vulnerabilities within the specific version ranges, credential harvesting attacks, and social engineering campaigns that use the precise version information to craft convincing phishing or deception attempts. From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability undermines the principle of least privilege by providing attackers with information that should remain hidden within the system's internal configuration. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1082, which covers system information discovery, demonstrates how this flaw can be exploited to gather intelligence for further attack phases. Security professionals can identify this vulnerability through network traffic analysis, where version strings appear in HTTP responses, or through web application scanning tools that detect sensitive information exposure patterns.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigation strategies that include applying the official F5 security patches released for the affected versions, implementing web application firewalls to filter out version information from responses, and conducting thorough network segmentation to limit access to the affected portal components. Configuration hardening measures should focus on removing or obfuscating version information from HTTP headers and HTML content, while network monitoring should be enhanced to detect and alert on any attempts to extract version information. The vulnerability's remediation requires updating to patched versions of the BIG-IP software, with specific attention to the APM module configurations that control portal access and page rewriting behaviors. Additional mitigations include implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms, ensuring that no system metadata or version information is embedded in user-facing content, and establishing comprehensive monitoring protocols to detect unauthorized access attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing the principle of defense in depth by combining multiple layers of protection including network access controls, application-level security measures, and regular vulnerability assessments to prevent similar information disclosure issues from occurring in other components of the BIG-IP system. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and the potential consequences of exposing system information to unauthorized parties.