BigIP APM Vulnerability
Summary
| CVE | CVE-2025-53521 |
|---|---|
| State | PUBLISHED |
| Assigner | f5 |
| Source Priority | CVE Program / NVD first with legacy fallback |
| Published | 2025-10-15 14:15:48 UTC |
| Updated | 2026-03-31 17:12:31 UTC |
| Description | When a BIG-IP APM access policy is configured on a virtual server, specific malicious traffic can lead to Remote Code Execution (RCE). Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated. |
Risk And Classification
Primary CVSS: v4.0 9.3 CRITICAL from [email protected]
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
EPSS: 0.414080000 probability, percentile 0.973770000 (date 2026-04-01)
CISA KEV: Listed on 2026-03-27; due 2026-03-30; ransomware use Unknown
Problem Types: CWE-121 | CWE-121 CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow
| Version | Source | Type | Score | Severity | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0 | [email protected] | Secondary | 9.3 | CRITICAL | CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/C... |
| 4.0 | CNA | CVSS | 9.3 | CRITICAL | CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N |
| 3.1 | [email protected] | Secondary | 9.8 | CRITICAL | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| 3.1 | CNA | CVSS | 9.8 | CRITICAL | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
CVSS v4.0 Breakdown
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
CVSS v3.1 Breakdown
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerability
| Vendor | F5 |
|---|---|
| Product | BIG-IP |
| Name | F5 BIG-IP Unspecified Vulnerability |
| Required Action | Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. |
| Notes | Please adhere to F5’s guidelines to assess exposure and mitigate risks. Check for signs of potential compromise on all internet accessible F5 products affected by this vulnerability. For more information please see: https://my.f5.com/manage/s/article/K000156741 ; https://my.f5.com/manage/s/article/K000160486 ; https://my.f5.com/manage/s/article/K11438344 ; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-53521 |
NVD Known Affected Configurations (CPE 2.3)
| Type | Vendor | Product | Version | Update | Edition | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application | F5 | Big-ip Access Policy Manager | All | All | All | All |
Vendor Declared Affected Products
References
| Reference | Source | Link | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|
| www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 | www.cisa.gov | US Government Resource |
| my.f5.com/manage/s/article/K000156741 | [email protected] | my.f5.com | Vendor Advisory |
| CVE Program record | CVE.ORG | www.cve.org | canonical |
| NVD vulnerability detail | NVD | nvd.nist.gov | canonical, analysis |
| CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog | CISA | www.cisa.gov | kev |
Vendor Comments And Credit
Discovery Credit
CNA: F5 would like to thank Kristian Vlaardingerbroek, Hugo Trippaers, and other people of Schuberg Philis; Bart Vrancken; Fox-IT; and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in the Netherlands for their assistance in investigating this issue and following the highest standards of coordinated disclosure. (en)