CVE-2021-23048

Severity: high (CVSS 7.5 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 1.0% 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 16.0.x before 16.0.1.2, 15.1.x before 15.1.3.1, 14.1.x before 14.1.4.3, 13.1.x before 13.1.4.1, and all versions of 12.1.x and 11.6.x, when GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP) iRules commands or a GTP profile is configured on a virtual server, undisclosed GTP messages 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 11.6.1 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 14.1.4.3; from 15.1.0 before 15.1.3.1; from 16.0.0 before 16.0.1.2 — fixed in 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.3, 15.1.3.1, 16.0.1.2
BIG-IP: from 11.6.1 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 14.1.4.3; from 15.1.0 before 15.1.3.1; from 16.0.0 before 16.0.1.2 — fixed in 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.3, 15.1.3.1, 16.0.1.2
F5 Big-Ip Advanced Web Application Firewall: from 11.6.1 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 14.1.4.3; from 15.1.0 before 15.1.3.1; from 16.0.0 before 16.0.1.2 — fixed in 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.3, 15.1.3.1, 16.0.1.2
F5 Big-Ip Analytics: from 11.6.1 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 14.1.4.3; from 15.1.0 before 15.1.3.1; from 16.0.0 before 16.0.1.2 — fixed in 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.3, 15.1.3.1, 16.0.1.2
F5 Networks, Inc. BIG-IP (AAM): from 11.6.1 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 14.1.4.3; from 15.1.0 before 15.1.3.1; from 16.0.0 before 16.0.1.2 — fixed in 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.3, 15.1.3.1, 16.0.1.2
BIG-IP ASM: from 11.6.1 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 14.1.4.3; from 15.1.0 before 15.1.3.1; from 16.0.0 before 16.0.1.2 — fixed in 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.3, 15.1.3.1, 16.0.1.2
F5 BIG-IP DNS: from 11.6.1 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 14.1.4.3; from 15.1.0 before 15.1.3.1; from 16.0.0 before 16.0.1.2 — fixed in 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.3, 15.1.3.1, 16.0.1.2
F5 Big-Ip Fraud Protection Service: from 11.6.1 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 14.1.4.3; from 15.1.0 before 15.1.3.1; from 16.0.0 before 16.0.1.2 — fixed in 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.3, 15.1.3.1, 16.0.1.2
F5 Big-Ip Global Traffic Manager: from 11.6.1 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 14.1.4.3; from 15.1.0 before 15.1.3.1; from 16.0.0 before 16.0.1.2 — fixed in 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.3, 15.1.3.1, 16.0.1.2
F5 Big-Ip Link Controller: from 11.6.1 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 14.1.4.3; from 15.1.0 before 15.1.3.1; from 16.0.0 before 16.0.1.2 — fixed in 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.3, 15.1.3.1, 16.0.1.2
F5 BIG-IP (LTM): from 11.6.1 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 14.1.4.3; from 15.1.0 before 15.1.3.1; from 16.0.0 before 16.0.1.2 — fixed in 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.3, 15.1.3.1, 16.0.1.2

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: F5 BIG-IP APM 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.3, 15.1.3.1, 16.0.1.2; BIG-IP 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.3, 15.1.3.1, 16.0.1.2; F5 Big-Ip Advanced Web Application Firewall 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.3, 15.1.3.1, 16.0.1.2; F5 Big-Ip Analytics 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.3, 15.1.3.1, 16.0.1.2; F5 Networks, Inc. BIG-IP (AAM) 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.3, 15.1.3.1, 16.0.1.2; BIG-IP ASM 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.3, 15.1.3.1, 16.0.1.2; F5 BIG-IP DNS 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.3, 15.1.3.1, 16.0.1.2; F5 Big-Ip Fraud Protection Service 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.3, 15.1.3.1, 16.0.1.2; F5 Big-Ip Global Traffic Manager 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.3, 15.1.3.1, 16.0.1.2; F5 Big-Ip Link Controller 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.3, 15.1.3.1, 16.0.1.2; F5 BIG-IP (LTM) 13.1.4.1, 14.1.4.3, 15.1.3.1, 16.0.1.2. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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