CVE-2021-23044

Severity: high (CVSS 7.5 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.9% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2021-09-14 · updated 2026-06-17
Weakness: CWE-20

Description

On BIG-IP version 16.x before 16.1.0, 15.1.x before 15.1.3.1, 14.1.x before 14.1.4.2, 13.1.x before 13.1.4.1, and all versions of 12.1.x and 11.6.x, when the Intel QuickAssist Technology (QAT) compression driver is used on affected BIG-IP hardware and BIG-IP Virtual Edition (VE) platforms, undisclosed traffic can cause the Traffic Management Microkernel (TMM) to terminate. Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated.

Affected products

F5 BIG-IP APM: from 11.6.0 through 11.6.5; from 12.1.0 through 12.1.6; from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4.1; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4.2; from 15.1.0 before 15.1.3.1; from 16.0.0 before 16.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.2, 15.1.3.1, 16.1.0
BIG-IP: from 11.6.0 through 11.6.5; from 12.1.0 through 12.1.6; from 13.1.0 through 13.1.4.1; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4.2; from 15.1.0 before 15.1.3.1; from 16.0.0 before 16.1.0 — fixed in 14.1.4.2, 15.1.3.1, 16.1.0
F5 Big-Ip Analytics: from 11.6.0 through 11.6.5; from 12.1.0 through 12.1.6; from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4.1; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4.2; from 15.1.0 before 15.1.3.1; from 16.0.0 before 16.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.2, 15.1.3.1, 16.1.0
F5 Networks, Inc. BIG-IP (AAM): from 11.6.0 through 11.6.5; from 12.1.0 through 12.1.6; from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4.1; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4.2; from 15.1.0 before 15.1.3.1; from 16.0.0 before 16.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.2, 15.1.3.1, 16.1.0
BIG-IP ASM: from 11.6.0 through 11.6.5; from 12.1.0 through 12.1.6; from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4.1; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4.2; from 15.1.0 before 15.1.3.1; from 16.0.0 before 16.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.2, 15.1.3.1, 16.1.0
F5 BIG-IP DNS: from 11.6.0 through 11.6.5; from 12.1.0 through 12.1.6; from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4.1; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4.2; from 15.1.0 before 15.1.3.1; from 16.0.0 before 16.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.2, 15.1.3.1, 16.1.0
F5 Big-Ip Fraud Protection Service: from 11.6.0 through 11.6.5; from 12.1.0 through 12.1.6; from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4.1; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4.2; from 15.1.0 before 15.1.3.1; from 16.0.0 before 16.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.2, 15.1.3.1, 16.1.0
F5 Big-Ip Global Traffic Manager: from 11.6.0 through 11.6.5; from 12.1.0 through 12.1.6; from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4.1; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4.2; from 15.1.0 before 15.1.3.1; from 16.0.0 before 16.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.2, 15.1.3.1, 16.1.0
F5 Big-Ip Link Controller: from 11.6.0 through 11.6.5; from 12.1.0 through 12.1.6; from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4.1; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4.2; from 15.1.0 before 15.1.3.1; from 16.0.0 before 16.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.2, 15.1.3.1, 16.1.0
F5 BIG-IP (LTM): from 11.6.0 through 11.6.5; from 12.1.0 through 12.1.6; from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4.1; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4.2; from 15.1.0 before 15.1.3.1; from 16.0.0 before 16.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.2, 15.1.3.1, 16.1.0
F5 Networks, Inc. BIG-IP (PEM): from 11.6.0 through 11.6.5; from 12.1.0 through 12.1.6; from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4.1; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4.2; from 15.1.0 before 15.1.3.1; from 16.0.0 before 16.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.2, 15.1.3.1, 16.1.0

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: F5 BIG-IP APM 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.2, 15.1.3.1, 16.1.0; BIG-IP 14.1.4.2, 15.1.3.1, 16.1.0; F5 Big-Ip Analytics 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.2, 15.1.3.1, 16.1.0; F5 Networks, Inc. BIG-IP (AAM) 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.2, 15.1.3.1, 16.1.0; BIG-IP ASM 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.2, 15.1.3.1, 16.1.0; F5 BIG-IP DNS 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.2, 15.1.3.1, 16.1.0; F5 Big-Ip Fraud Protection Service 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.2, 15.1.3.1, 16.1.0; F5 Big-Ip Global Traffic Manager 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.2, 15.1.3.1, 16.1.0; F5 Big-Ip Link Controller 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.2, 15.1.3.1, 16.1.0; F5 BIG-IP (LTM) 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.2, 15.1.3.1, 16.1.0; F5 Networks, Inc. BIG-IP (PEM) 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.2, 15.1.3.1, 16.1.0. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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