CVE-2019-6608 in BIG-IP
Summary
by MITRE
On BIG-IP 11.5.1-11.6.3, 12.1.0-12.1.3, 13.0.0-13.1.1.1, and 14.0.0-14.0.0.2, under certain conditions, the snmpd daemon may leak memory on a multi-blade BIG-IP vCMP guest when processing authorized SNMP requests.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/17/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-6608 affects F5 BIG-IP systems across multiple version ranges including 11.5.1-11.6.3, 12.1.0-12.1.3, 13.0.0-13.1.1.1, and 14.0.0-14.0.0.2. This issue specifically targets the snmpd daemon component within the vCMP (virtualized Common Management Platform) environment, which operates on multi-blade BIG-IP systems. The vulnerability represents a memory leak condition that occurs during the processing of authorized SNMP requests, creating a potential denial of service scenario that can degrade system performance over time.
The technical flaw manifests within the SNMP daemon implementation where memory allocated for processing SNMP requests is not properly released back to the system after use. This memory leak occurs specifically within the vCMP guest environment, which is designed to run multiple virtualized instances on a single physical BIG-IP appliance. When the snmpd daemon processes authorized SNMP requests, it fails to properly manage memory allocation and deallocation cycles, leading to progressive memory consumption that can eventually exhaust available system resources. This behavior aligns with CWE-401: Improper Release of Memory and represents a classic memory management vulnerability in network services.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple resource consumption issues as it can lead to significant service degradation and potential system instability. In multi-blade vCMP environments, where multiple virtual instances share the same physical hardware, the memory leak can affect the overall performance of the entire BIG-IP appliance. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it occurs during normal operation when authorized SNMP requests are processed, meaning legitimate monitoring and management activities can inadvertently trigger the memory exhaustion. This creates a scenario where system administrators may experience gradual performance degradation without clear indication of the underlying cause, as the memory leak occurs incrementally over time rather than causing immediate system failure.
The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with attack patterns described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1499 category for Network Denial of Service, where adversaries can exploit memory management flaws to consume system resources and impair service availability. Organizations using F5 BIG-IP systems in vCMP configurations should prioritize applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates to address this vulnerability. Additionally, system administrators should implement monitoring solutions to track memory usage patterns on affected systems, as early detection of memory leak progression can help prevent complete system exhaustion. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper memory management practices in network infrastructure components and highlights the need for comprehensive testing of virtualized environments before deployment in production systems.
The memory leak affects the SNMP daemon's ability to maintain stable operation over extended periods, particularly when the system experiences regular SNMP monitoring traffic. This condition can be exacerbated by high-frequency SNMP polling or by systems with multiple vCMP guests processing simultaneous requests. The vulnerability represents a significant concern for organizations relying on BIG-IP systems for critical network infrastructure management, as the gradual nature of the memory leak makes it difficult to detect and diagnose without proper monitoring tools. Security teams should consider implementing proactive maintenance schedules that include regular system restarts to clear accumulated memory leaks, while also planning for the application of security updates to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability in production environments.