CVE-2025-24319 in BIG-IP Next Central Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 02/05/2025
When BIG-IP Next Central Manager is running, undisclosed requests to the BIG-IP Next Central Manager API can cause the BIG-IP Next Central Manager Node's Kubernetes service 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 • 02/04/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-24319 affects the BIG-IP Next Central Manager component within F5 Networks' infrastructure management platform. This issue represents a critical service disruption vulnerability that manifests when specific API requests are made to the central manager interface. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it operates silently without disclosure of the exact request patterns that trigger the termination event, making it challenging to predict or prevent. The affected system specifically targets the Kubernetes service running on the BIG-IP Next Central Manager Node, which serves as a critical control point for managing and orchestrating network services within the F5 ecosystem.
This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and error handling within the BIG-IP Next Central Manager API implementation. The undisclosed nature of the triggering requests suggests that the system fails to properly sanitize or validate incoming API calls, potentially allowing malformed or unexpected inputs to cause the underlying Kubernetes service to crash or terminate unexpectedly. From a cybersecurity perspective, this represents a denial-of-service condition that can be exploited by attackers to disrupt network operations and compromise the availability of critical infrastructure services. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and may also relate to CWE-400, indicating improper handling of exceptional conditions in software systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption as it affects the core orchestration capabilities of the BIG-IP Next Central Manager. When the Kubernetes service terminates, it can lead to cascading failures throughout the network infrastructure, potentially causing loss of connectivity, service interruptions, and requiring manual intervention to restore normal operations. Organizations relying on F5's BIG-IP Next Central Manager for network service management face significant risk of operational downtime, especially in mission-critical environments where continuous availability is essential. The vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including API endpoint manipulation, which falls under ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service, and potentially T1566 for initial access through API endpoints.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing robust API request validation and monitoring mechanisms to detect and prevent potentially malicious or malformed requests from reaching the vulnerable components. Organizations should ensure their BIG-IP Next Central Manager systems are updated to the latest supported versions that contain patches addressing this vulnerability. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of the API endpoints to trusted sources only. Additionally, comprehensive monitoring and alerting should be established to detect service termination events and rapid response procedures should be developed to minimize downtime. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of maintaining current support status for network infrastructure components, as end-of-life systems are particularly susceptible to such undisclosed vulnerabilities that may remain unpatched.