In May 2024, F5 released BIG-IP Next Central Manager version 20.2.0 to address two reported vulnerabilities: an OData injection flaw, CVE-2024-21793, and an SQL injection flaw, CVE-2024-26026. Contemporary reports said unauthenticated attackers who could reach the product’s API might retrieve sensitive information. This is a historical account; use F5’s current advisories to confirm affected versions and remediation before acting.
What the May 2024 reports said
The affected product was BIG-IP Next Central Manager, the management interface used for BIG-IP Next instances and services. SecurityWeek reported that F5 said no other products were affected by these vulnerabilities, so the findings should not be generalized to all F5 BIG-IP products. SecurityWeek’s May 9, 2024 report said F5 fixed the two identified issues in version 20.2.0.
SecurityWeek also reported that enterprise security firm Eclypsium had found five issues in BIG-IP Next Central Manager, while F5 assigned CVE identifiers to two. At the time, Eclypsium said it was unclear whether the other three had also been addressed. That contemporary uncertainty does not establish their present status.
How the two vulnerabilities differed
| CVE | Reported flaw | Reported condition | Reported severity |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2024-21793 | OData injection | Reported to apply when LDAP is enabled; API reachability was part of the reported attack precondition. | CVSS 7.5 (High), as reported by CSO Online; original vendor score not verified here. |
| CVE-2024-26026 | SQL injection | Reported as affecting all configurations; API reachability was part of the reported attack precondition. | CVSS 7.5 (High), as reported by CSO Online; original vendor score not verified here. |
CSO Online described both flaws as reachable by unauthenticated attackers through the API. For CVE-2024-21793, its account of the researchers’ findings specified the LDAP-enabled condition. For CVE-2024-26026, it reported that the flaw could expose sensitive information, including administrator password hashes, across configurations.
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What an attacker could potentially do
The reported impact centered on retrieving sensitive data. Researchers described administrator password hashes as among the information that could be exposed; if an attacker cracked a hash, administrative access could follow. CSO also described attack paths involving changing Central Manager account passwords and creating hidden accounts on downstream devices. These are reported potential attack paths, not proof that every path was successfully carried out in an attack.
SecurityWeek reported no evidence of exploitation in the wild at the time of its May 9, 2024 publication. That dated statement is not a current assessment of exploitation activity.
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What version was reported to fix the flaws?
Contemporary reporting identified BIG-IP Next Central Manager 20.2.0 as the release that fixed the two vulnerabilities. The current affected-version range and current recommended remediation are not established here. Before planning an upgrade, consult F5’s original advisories: K000138732 for CVE-2024-21793 and K000138733 for CVE-2024-26026. Verify their latest revision and instructions for your deployment rather than treating the 2024 release reference as current operational guidance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Reduce exposure of management interfaces
Restrict management-interface access to authorized systems and networks. SANS NewsBites quoted Lee Neely, a SANS Community Instructor, advising that management interfaces should never be exposed to the Internet and referencing BOD 23-02 on mitigating risks from Internet-exposed management interfaces. This is a general exposure-reduction measure; it does not replace confirming and applying the vendor’s remediation for a specific deployment. SANS NewsBites, May 10, 2024.
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