CVE-2022-1388: F5 BIG-IP Missing Authentication Vulnerability

93

Urgent

Who exploits it and how urgent it is

A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.

CISA KEV · May 10, 2022 R used by ransomware (CISA) Detection templates (Nuclei) · 1 Metasploit modules · 1 Exploit-DB · 1 Proofs of concept on GitHub · 64

How the score was calculated

Confirmed exploitation (CISA KEV)+35
Used in ransomware campaigns (CISA)+10
Public exploit/PoC (nuclei, metasploit, exploitdb, github)+20
EPSS 100% (30-day exploitation probability)+15
Technical severity (critical)+10
Automatable exploitation (SSVC)+3

The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).

Triage

Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.

Exploitation

Confirmed

CISA KEV, listed May 10, 2022

EPSS FIRST

99.95%

ahead of 100% of scored CVEs · Oct 14, 2026

Affects

F5

BIG-IP and 11 more

CVSS base

9.8

Critical · 3 source(s)

CISA SSVC assessment CISA

Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.

Exploitation

Active

none · proof-of-concept · active

Automatable

Yes

can an attacker script the kill-chain steps

Technical impact

Total

partial · total control of the vulnerable component

Remediation

Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.

Documented mitigation — support.f5.com (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
Documented mitigation — www.secpod.com (NIST National Vulnerability Database)

CISA required action CISA

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

US federal deadline: May 31, 2022 — passed 1598 day(s) ago

First 24 hours

Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.

Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (F5 BIG-IP, F5 Big-ip Access Policy Manager, F5 Big-ip Advanced Firewall Manager…).
Treat as emergency remediation: the CVE is in CISA KEV (confirmed exploitation).
The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
Apply the documented mitigations until a definitive fix is available.
EPSS ahead of 100% of scored CVEs: prioritize it in the patch queue.
Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (authentication), errors and authentication anomalies.

Affected scope

Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.

Vendor	Product	Versions	Status	Source
F5	BIG-IP	≥ 16.1.x and < 16.1.2.2≥ 15.1.x and < 15.1.5.1≥ 14.1.x and < 14.1.4.6≥ 13.1.x and < 13.1.5≥ 12.1.x and ≤ 12.1.6≥ 11.6.x and ≤ 11.6.5	Vulnerable	CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
F5	Big-ip Access Policy Manager	≥ 11.6.1 and ≤ 11.6.5≥ 12.1.0 and ≤ 12.1.6≥ 13.1.0 and < 13.1.5≥ 14.1.0 and < 14.1.4.6≥ 15.1.0 and < 15.1.5.1≥ 16.1.0 and < 16.1.2.2	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
F5	Big-ip Advanced Firewall Manager	≥ 13.1.0 and < 13.1.5≥ 11.6.1 and ≤ 11.6.5≥ 16.1.0 and < 16.1.2.2≥ 15.1.0 and < 15.1.5.1≥ 14.1.0 and < 14.1.4.6≥ 12.1.0 and ≤ 12.1.6	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
F5	Big-ip Analytics	≥ 16.1.0 and < 16.1.2.2≥ 15.1.0 and < 15.1.5.1≥ 14.1.0 and < 14.1.4.6≥ 13.1.0 and < 13.1.5≥ 12.1.0 and ≤ 12.1.6≥ 11.6.1 and ≤ 11.6.5	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
F5	Big-ip Application Acceleration Manager	≥ 16.1.0 and < 16.1.2.2≥ 15.1.0 and < 15.1.5.1≥ 14.1.0 and < 14.1.4.6≥ 13.1.0 and < 13.1.5≥ 12.1.0 and ≤ 12.1.6≥ 11.6.1 and ≤ 11.6.5	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
F5	Big-ip Application Security Manager	≥ 11.6.1 and ≤ 11.6.5≥ 12.1.0 and ≤ 12.1.6≥ 13.1.0 and < 13.1.5≥ 14.1.0 and < 14.1.4.6≥ 15.1.0 and < 15.1.5.1≥ 16.1.0 and < 16.1.2.2	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
F5	Big-ip Domain Name System	≥ 11.6.1 and ≤ 11.6.5≥ 16.1.0 and < 16.1.2.2≥ 15.1.0 and < 15.1.5.1≥ 14.1.0 and < 14.1.4.6≥ 13.1.0 and < 13.1.5≥ 12.1.0 and ≤ 12.1.6	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
F5	Big-ip Fraud Protection Service	≥ 15.1.0 and < 15.1.5.1≥ 14.1.0 and < 14.1.4.6≥ 13.1.0 and < 13.1.5≥ 12.1.0 and ≤ 12.1.6≥ 11.6.1 and ≤ 11.6.5≥ 16.1.0 and < 16.1.2.2	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
F5	Big-ip Global Traffic Manager	≥ 12.1.0 and ≤ 12.1.6≥ 13.1.0 and < 13.1.5≥ 14.1.0 and < 14.1.4.6≥ 15.1.0 and < 15.1.5.1≥ 16.1.0 and < 16.1.2.2≥ 11.6.1 and ≤ 11.6.5	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
F5	Big-ip Link Controller	≥ 11.6.1 and ≤ 11.6.5≥ 12.1.0 and ≤ 12.1.6≥ 13.1.0 and < 13.1.5≥ 14.1.0 and < 14.1.4.6≥ 15.1.0 and < 15.1.5.1≥ 16.1.0 and < 16.1.2.2	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
F5	Big-ip Local Traffic Manager	≥ 16.1.0 and < 16.1.2.2≥ 11.6.1 and ≤ 11.6.5≥ 12.1.0 and ≤ 12.1.6≥ 13.1.0 and < 13.1.5≥ 14.1.0 and < 14.1.4.6≥ 15.1.0 and < 15.1.5.1	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
F5	Big-ip Policy Enforcement Manager	≥ 11.6.1 and ≤ 11.6.5≥ 12.1.0 and ≤ 12.1.6≥ 13.1.0 and < 13.1.5≥ 14.1.0 and < 14.1.4.6≥ 15.1.0 and < 15.1.5.1≥ 16.1.0 and < 16.1.2.2	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database

Attack characteristics

The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.

Attack vector

Network

Attack complexity

Low

Privileges required

None

User interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

High

Availability

High

Every base score collected

Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.

Score	Version	Severity	Expl.	Impact	Scored by
9.8	CVSS 3.1	Critical	3.9	5.9	f5sirt@f5.com via NIST National Vulnerability Database
9.8	CVSS 3.1	Critical	3.9	5.9	nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database
9.8	CVSS 3.1	Critical	—	—	f5 via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
7.5	CVSS 2.0	High	10.0	6.4	nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: f5sirt@f5.com)

Weakness MITRE

Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.

CWE-306 · Missing Authentication for Critical Function

Other CVEs with this weakness →

CISA KEV details CISA

CISA lists a CVE once it has evidence of exploitation against real targets.

Listed

May 10, 2022

Federal deadline

May 31, 2022

passed 1598 day(s) ago

Ransomware use

Known

CISA records ransomware use only for campaigns it has confirmed, so “Unknown” means unrecorded, not ruled out. The deadline binds US federal agencies; for everyone else it is a reference date.

Public exploits, PoCs and detection templates

Public code that demonstrates or tests the flaw raises the odds of mass exploitation — and Nuclei templates help find vulnerable assets in your environment.

Detection templates (Nuclei)

F5 BIG-IP iControl - REST Auth Bypass RCE

Metasploit modules

F5 BIG-IP iControl RCE via REST Authentication Bypass excellent May 4, 2022

Exploit-DB

F5 BIG-IP 16.0.x - Remote Code Execution (RCE) May 12, 2022

Proofs of concept on GitHub — 64 repositories; showing the 10 most starred

POC for CVE-2022-1388 ★ 230 May 9, 2022
CVE-2022-1388 F5 BIG-IP RCE 批量检测 ★ 92 May 7, 2022
F5 BIG-IP RCE exploitation (CVE-2022-1388) ★ 87 May 9, 2022
CVE-2022-1388 F5 BIG-IP iControl REST Auth Bypass RCE ★ 84 May 9, 2022
Exploit and Check Script for CVE 2022-1388 ★ 59 May 9, 2022
PoC for CVE-2022-1388_F5_BIG-IP ★ 56 May 9, 2022
K23605346: BIG-IP iControl REST vulnerability CVE-2022-1388 ★ 53 May 5, 2022
CVE-2022-1388 F5 BIG-IP iControl REST RCE ★ 37 May 9, 2022
This vulnerability may allow an unauthenticated attacker with network access to the BIG-IP system through the management port and/or self IP addresses to execute arbitrary system commands, create or delete files, or disable services. There is no data plane exposure; this is a control plane issue onl ★ 28 May 6, 2022
Simple script realizado en bash, para revisión de múltiples hosts para CVE-2022-1388 (F5) ★ 25 May 5, 2022

Warning: public PoCs are sometimes disguised malware. Use them only for authorized testing in an isolated environment. This portal does not host exploit code — it only points to the sources.

EPSS over time FIRST

Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 14, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 99.95%

Detection

Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.

Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
Review authentication logs: logins without MFA, anomalous sessions and recently created accounts.
Hunt retroactively in logs from before May 10, 2022 (KEV listing): exploitation may have started earlier.

web/proxy/WAF logsnetwork IDS/IPSauthentication logs

Timeline

What happened to this CVE, newest first.

2026
Fix documented
Oct 13, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
Affected products added · f5/big-ip access policy manager, f5/big-ip advanced firewall manager, f5/big-ip analytics, f5/big-ip application acceler
Oct 13, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
Source status changed · Published → Analyzed
Oct 13, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
Record published
Oct 13, 2026
Affected products added · f5/big-ip
Oct 13, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
CVSS changed · 9.8
Oct 13, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
Source status changed · → Published
Oct 13, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
SSVC assessment updated
Oct 13, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
Added to CISA KEV (detected)
Oct 13, 2026 · CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
Record created in this database
Oct 13, 2026 · CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
2022
Added to CISA KEV catalog
May 9, 2022 · CISA
CVE published
May 5, 2022 · f5

Source activity

Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.

2× References added · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
1× Official description updated · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026

References

6 on the record

support.f5.com/csp/article/K23605346
Mitigation, Vendor Advisory, CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
www.secpod.com/blog/critical-f5-big-ip-remote-code-execution-vulnerability-patch-now
Exploit, Mitigation, Third Party Advisory, CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog
US Government Resource, NIST National Vulnerability Database
packetstormsecurity.com/files/167118/F5-BIG-IP-16.0.x-Remote-Code-Execution.html
Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry, CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
packetstormsecurity.com/files/167150/F5-BIG-IP-iControl-Remote-Code-Execution.html
Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry, CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
packetstormsecurity.com/files/167007/F5-BIG-IP-Remote-Code-Execution.html
Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry, CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP

Elsewhere on this site

F5
every CVE for this vendor

2022-05
what else CISA listed that month

Authentication
same class

CWE-306
other pages naming this weakness

Related CVEs (same products)

Critical CVE-2026-94127 F5 BIG-IP APM Heap-based Buffer Overflow Vulnerability KEV 23d
High CVE-2026-66842 BIG-IP and BIG-IQ Configuration utility vulnerability Sep 2, 2026
Low CVE-2026-63020 BIG-IP Configuration utility vulnerability Sep 2, 2026
High CVE-2026-59762 BIG-IP HTTP/2 vulnerability Jul 15, 2026
Medium CVE-2026-42937 iControl REST and tmsh vulnerability May 13, 2026
High CVE-2026-42924 BIG-IP iControl SOAP vulnerability May 13, 2026

Not in any source we poll

Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.

No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.

Answered from this record

Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.

What should defenders know first?

CVE-2022-1388 is "F5 BIG-IP Missing Authentication Vulnerability", rated Critical. It affects BIG-IP (F5); versions are in the scope table. It is in CISA KEV: there is evidence of real-world exploitation. CVSS 9.8 describes technical severity. EPSS 99.95% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.

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