CVE-2018-5540 : What You Need to Know
Learn about CVE-2018-5540, a privilege escalation vulnerability impacting F5 Networks products like BIG-IP, Enterprise Manager, and more. Find out the affected versions and steps to mitigate the risk.
On F5 BIG-IP 13.0.0-13.0.1, 12.1.0-12.1.3.3, 11.6.0-11.6.3.1, or 11.5.1-11.5.6, Enterprise Manager 3.1.1, BIG-IQ Centralized Management 5.0.0-5.1.0, BIG-IQ Cloud and Orchestration 1.0.0, or F5 iWorkflow 2.1.0-2.3.0, the big3d process does not irrevocably minimize group privileges at startup.
Understanding CVE-2018-5540
This CVE involves a privilege escalation vulnerability affecting various F5 Networks products.
What is CVE-2018-5540?
The big3d process on specific versions of F5 BIG-IP, Enterprise Manager, BIG-IQ Centralized Management, BIG-IQ Cloud and Orchestration, and F5 iWorkflow fails to permanently reduce group privileges upon startup.
The Impact of CVE-2018-5540
The vulnerability could allow an authenticated attacker to escalate their privileges on the affected systems, potentially leading to unauthorized access and control.
Technical Details of CVE-2018-5540
This section provides more in-depth technical information about the CVE.
Vulnerability Description
The big3d process on the mentioned versions of F5 products does not effectively reduce group privileges, leaving room for privilege escalation.
Affected Systems and Versions
- BIG-IP (DNS, GTM): 13.0.0-13.0.1, 12.1.0-12.1.3.3, 11.6.0-11.6.3.1, 11.5.1-11.5.6
- Enterprise Manager: 3.1.1
- BIG-IQ Centralized Management: 5.0.0-5.1.0
- BIG-IQ Cloud and Orchestration: 1.0.0
- F5 iWorkflow: 2.1.0-2.3.0
Exploitation Mechanism
The vulnerability can be exploited by authenticated attackers to elevate their privileges on the affected systems, potentially leading to unauthorized actions.
Mitigation and Prevention
It is crucial to take immediate steps to address and prevent the exploitation of this vulnerability.
Immediate Steps to Take
- Apply patches provided by F5 Networks to fix the privilege escalation issue.
- Monitor system logs for any suspicious activities that could indicate exploitation.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update and patch F5 products to ensure the latest security fixes are in place.
- Conduct security assessments and audits to identify and mitigate potential vulnerabilities.
Patching and Updates
- F5 Networks has released patches to address the privilege escalation vulnerability. Ensure all affected systems are updated with the latest patches to mitigate the risk of exploitation.