CVE-2023-3470: BIG-IP FIPS HSM password vulnerability CVE-2023-3470

Severity: medium (CVSS 6.1 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.2% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2023-08-02 · updated 2026-06-17
Weakness: CWE-1391

Description

Specific F5 BIG-IP platforms with Cavium Nitrox FIPS HSM cards generate a deterministic password for the Crypto User account. The predictable nature of the password allows an authenticated user with TMSH access to the BIG-IP system, or anyone with physical access to the FIPS HSM, the information required to generate the correct password. On vCMP systems, all Guests share the same deterministic password, allowing those with TMSH access on one Guest to access keys of a different Guest. The following BIG-IP hardware platforms are affected: 10350v-F, i5820-DF, i7820-DF, i15820-DF, 5250v-F, 7200v-F, 10200v-F, 6900-F, 8900-F, 11000-F, and 11050-F. The BIG-IP rSeries r5920-DF and r10920-DF are not affected, nor does the issue affect software FIPS implementations or network HSM configurations. Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated.

Affected products

F5 Big-Ip 10200V-F Firmware: all versions
F5 Big-Ip 10350V-F Firmware: all versions
F5 Big-Ip 11000-F Firmware: all versions
F5 Big-Ip 11050-F Firmware: all versions
F5 Big-Ip 5250V-F Firmware: all versions
F5 Big-Ip 6900-F Firmware: all versions
F5 Big-Ip 7200V-F Firmware: all versions
F5 Big-Ip 8900-F Firmware: all versions
F5 BIG-IP APM: from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4; 15.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4, 14.1.4
BIG-IP: from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4; 15.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4, 14.1.4
F5 Big-Ip Advanced Web Application Firewall: from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4; 15.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4, 14.1.4
F5 Big-Ip Analytics: from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4; 15.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4, 14.1.4
F5 Networks, Inc. BIG-IP (AAM): from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4; 15.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4, 14.1.4
BIG-IP ASM: from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4; 15.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4, 14.1.4
F5 Big-Ip Application Visibility And Reporting: from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4; 15.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4, 14.1.4
F5 Big-Ip Carrier-Grade Nat: from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4; 15.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4, 14.1.4
F5 Big-Ip Ddos Hybrid Defender: from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4; 15.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4, 14.1.4
F5 BIG-IP DNS: from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4; 15.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4, 14.1.4
F5 Big-Ip Edge Gateway: from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4; 15.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4, 14.1.4
F5 Big-Ip Fraud Protection Service: from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4; 15.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4, 14.1.4
F5 Big-Ip Global Traffic Manager: from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4; 15.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4, 14.1.4
F5 Big-Ip I15820-Df Firmware: all versions
F5 Big-Ip I5820-Df Firmware: all versions
F5 Big-Ip I7820-Df Firmware: all versions
F5 Big-Ip Link Controller: from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4; 15.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4, 14.1.4
F5 BIG-IP (LTM): from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4; 15.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4, 14.1.4
F5 Networks, Inc. BIG-IP (PEM): from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4; 15.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4, 14.1.4
F5 Big-Ip Ssl Orchestrator: from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4; 15.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4, 14.1.4
F5 Big-Ip Webaccelerator: from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4; 15.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4, 14.1.4
F5 Big-Ip Websafe: from 13.1.0 before 13.1.4; from 14.1.0 before 14.1.4; 15.1.0 — fixed in 13.1.4, 14.1.4

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: F5 BIG-IP APM 13.1.4, 14.1.4; BIG-IP 13.1.4, 14.1.4; F5 Big-Ip Advanced Web Application Firewall 13.1.4, 14.1.4; F5 Big-Ip Analytics 13.1.4, 14.1.4; F5 Networks, Inc. BIG-IP (AAM) 13.1.4, 14.1.4; BIG-IP ASM 13.1.4, 14.1.4; F5 Big-Ip Application Visibility And Reporting 13.1.4, 14.1.4; F5 Big-Ip Carrier-Grade Nat 13.1.4, 14.1.4; F5 Big-Ip Ddos Hybrid Defender 13.1.4, 14.1.4; F5 BIG-IP DNS 13.1.4, 14.1.4; F5 Big-Ip Edge Gateway 13.1.4, 14.1.4; F5 Big-Ip Fraud Protection Service 13.1.4, 14.1.4. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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