CVE-2025-20058 in BIG-IP
Summary
by MITRE • 02/05/2025
When a BIG-IP message routing profile is configured on a virtual server, undisclosed traffic can cause an increase in memory resource utilization. Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/21/2025
This vulnerability affects F5 BIG-IP systems where message routing profiles are configured on virtual servers, creating a condition that allows memory resource utilization to increase unexpectedly due to undisclosed traffic patterns. The issue stems from how the system processes certain traffic flows that trigger memory allocation behaviors not properly accounted for in the routing profile implementation. When these specific traffic conditions occur, the system's memory management mechanisms become inefficient, leading to progressive resource consumption that can eventually impact system performance and stability.
The technical flaw manifests in the memory management subsystem of the BIG-IP platform when handling traffic that matches the configured message routing profile criteria. This behavior represents a memory exhaustion vulnerability classified under CWE-400, specifically related to uncontrolled resource consumption. The undisclosed nature of the traffic patterns that trigger this issue suggests that the vulnerability may be exploited through traffic manipulation or by leveraging specific network conditions that cause the system to allocate additional memory resources without proper bounds checking or resource limiting mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple performance degradation to potentially compromising system availability and stability. As memory utilization increases continuously, the system may experience reduced responsiveness, application timeouts, or even complete service disruption. This type of resource exhaustion attack aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.001 which covers resource exhaustion attacks targeting memory. Network administrators may observe gradual performance decline before complete system failure, making early detection challenging and potentially allowing attackers to maintain persistent resource consumption without immediate detection.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper traffic monitoring and resource limiting measures. Organizations should configure memory usage thresholds and implement automated alerts when resource utilization exceeds normal operational parameters. Network segmentation and traffic filtering can help prevent the specific traffic patterns that trigger the vulnerability. Additionally, applying the latest security patches from F5 is crucial as this vulnerability affects systems that have not reached end of technical support. Regular system health monitoring and memory utilization tracking should be implemented to detect abnormal resource consumption patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The recommended approach includes configuring appropriate memory limits for virtual servers and implementing traffic rate limiting to prevent the accumulation of memory resources that could lead to system instability.