CVE-2023-46747
F5 BIG-IP Configuration Utility Authentication Bypass Vulnerability
F5 BIG-IP Configuration Utility
Undisclosed requests may bypass configuration utility authentication, allowing an attacker with network access to the BIG-IP system through the management port and/or self IP addresses to execute arbitrary system commands. Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated
Ransomware groups exploiting CVE-2023-46747
The group emerged in mid-February 2024 and has already listed several organizations as alleged victims of their attacks, resulting from extortion through encryption and data leaks. The announcement of the sale of the new Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) by Ranso
Exploitation is attributed to these groups across their recorded activity. It does not follow that every organisation they listed was reached through CVE-2023-46747 — the source data does not record an entry point per incident.
Exploitation status
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
Listed by CISA on 31 October 2023. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 21 November 2023. CISA records this vulnerability as known to be used in ransomware campaigns.
EPSS — exploitation probability
FIRST puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 96.5%, which is higher than 99.9% of all scored vulnerabilities. EPSS is a forecast of activity, not a measure of severity, and it is rescored daily.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Recent listings by these groups
Disclosures from the groups above, newest first.
Frequently asked questions
Is CVE-2023-46747 being exploited by ransomware groups?
Yes. CVE-2023-46747 is recorded as exploited by Ransomhub. Between them these groups account for 842 victim disclosures in this database. CISA also records this vulnerability as used in ransomware campaigns.
What does CVE-2023-46747 affect?
CVE-2023-46747 affects F5 BIG-IP Configuration Utility. Undisclosed requests may bypass configuration utility authentication, allowing an attacker with network access to the BIG-IP system through the management port and/or self IP addresses to execute arbitrary system commands. Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated
How severe is CVE-2023-46747?
CVE-2023-46747 is rated CRITICAL with a CVSS base score of 9.8. EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 96.5%, higher than 99.9% of all scored vulnerabilities. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a federal remediation deadline of 21 November 2023.
How should organisations respond to CVE-2023-46747?
Apply the vendor patch for F5 BIG-IP Configuration Utility as the first priority, and treat any internet-facing instance as the most urgent. Because this vulnerability is associated with ransomware activity, also review whether the affected systems were reachable before patching, rather than assuming that patching alone closes the incident.