CVE-2020-5890 in BIG-IP
Summary
by MITRE
On BIG-IP 15.0.0-15.0.1, 14.1.0-14.1.2.3, 13.1.0-13.1.3.3, and 12.1.0-12.1.5.1 and BIG-IQ 5.2.0-7.1.0, when creating a QKView, credentials for binding to LDAP servers used for remote authentication of the BIG-IP administrative interface will not fully obfuscate if they contain whitespace.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/14/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-5890 affects F5 BIG-IP and BIG-IQ systems across multiple version ranges, presenting a significant security risk through improper credential handling during QKView creation processes. This issue specifically targets the administrative interface authentication mechanisms that rely on LDAP server bindings, creating a potential avenue for credential exposure that could compromise system security. The flaw manifests when administrative users configure remote authentication using LDAP servers, particularly when these credentials contain whitespace characters that are not properly sanitized during the QKView generation process. This vulnerability directly impacts the confidentiality and integrity of authentication credentials stored within the system's administrative interface configuration.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the QKView creation functionality of the BIG-IP and BIG-IQ platforms. When users create QKView reports, the system attempts to include LDAP binding credentials in the generated output, but fails to completely obfuscate credentials that contain whitespace characters. This improper handling creates a situation where sensitive authentication information remains visible in the QKView output, potentially exposing administrative credentials to unauthorized parties who might gain access to these diagnostic reports. The vulnerability operates at the application level and represents a failure in proper credential obfuscation mechanisms that should prevent exposure of sensitive data during system diagnostics. This issue aligns with CWE-200, which addresses the improper handling of sensitive information, and specifically relates to CWE-546, concerning the use of obsolete functions that do not properly sanitize data.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-5890 extends beyond simple credential exposure, as it creates potential attack vectors for privilege escalation and unauthorized system access. An attacker who gains access to QKView reports could extract administrative credentials and use them to gain unauthorized access to the BIG-IP administrative interface, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects organizations using F5's application delivery controllers and BIG-IQ management systems, which are commonly deployed in enterprise environments where these devices serve as critical infrastructure components for load balancing, application delivery, and security policy enforcement. The exposure of LDAP binding credentials through QKView creation processes undermines the security posture of organizations relying on these platforms for their network infrastructure. This vulnerability also creates compliance challenges for organizations subject to regulatory frameworks such as pci dss, iso 27001, and soc 2, which require proper handling of sensitive authentication data.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-5890 should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems to address the root cause of the credential handling issue. Organizations should implement strict access controls to QKView creation functionality, limiting who can generate these diagnostic reports to reduce the risk of credential exposure. Network segmentation and monitoring should be enhanced to detect unauthorized access attempts to administrative interfaces and unusual QKView generation activities. Security teams should conduct regular audits of QKView reports to identify any potential credential exposure, while also implementing proper credential rotation procedures for LDAP bindings used in administrative authentication. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing automated monitoring solutions that can detect and alert on potential credential exposure through diagnostic reports. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and output sanitization in security-critical applications, and organizations should review their own applications for similar credential handling flaws. This issue also underscores the need for comprehensive security testing of diagnostic and reporting features, as these components often contain sensitive data and require careful handling to prevent information disclosure. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under credential access techniques, specifically targeting the extraction of authentication credentials through improper system diagnostics handling.