CVE-2025-23412 in BIG-IP
Summary
by MITRE • 02/05/2025
When BIG-IP APM Access Profile is configured on a virtual server, undisclosed request can cause TMM to terminate.
Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/12/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-23412 affects F5 BIG-IP APM Access Profile configurations on virtual servers, presenting a critical stability risk within the Traffic Management Microkernel (TMM) component. This issue manifests when specific undisclosed requests are processed through the configured access profile, leading to unexpected termination of the TMM process. The vulnerability represents a denial of service condition that can severely impact network availability and application delivery services.
The technical flaw lies within the handling of incoming requests that traverse through the APM Access Profile configuration on virtual servers. When these undisclosed requests are received, they trigger a condition that causes the TMM to abruptly terminate its operation. This termination occurs without proper error handling or graceful degradation mechanisms, resulting in immediate service disruption. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple service interruption as it affects the core traffic management functionality of the BIG-IP system, potentially leaving critical network infrastructure in an unstable state.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on F5 BIG-IP systems for application delivery and access management. The termination of TMM processes can lead to complete service outages for applications protected by APM Access Profiles, affecting business continuity and user access. Network administrators may experience unexpected downtime without clear diagnostic information, making troubleshooting and incident response more challenging. The undisclosed nature of the specific request patterns that trigger this condition means that organizations cannot easily predict or prevent the occurrence of this vulnerability in their environments.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-119, which addresses improper access to memory locations, and potentially relates to CWE-400, concerning resource exhaustion, as the TMM termination represents a resource management failure. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1499.004, which covers network disruption, and T1566.001, involving spearphishing attachments, as the undisclosed request patterns could potentially be exploited through crafted network traffic. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching and implementation of network monitoring to detect unusual TMM termination patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts.
Mitigation strategies should include applying the latest F5 security patches and hotfixes as released by the vendor to address this specific vulnerability. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of affected virtual servers to potentially malicious traffic. Organizations should also implement robust monitoring solutions that can detect TMM process terminations and alert administrators to potential exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify other potential configurations that may be susceptible to similar issues. Additionally, maintaining detailed network traffic logs and implementing proper incident response procedures will help organizations quickly identify and respond to exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability.