CVE-2017-6165 : What You Need to Know

F5 Networks, Inc. disclosed a vulnerability in various F5 BIG-IP products that could lead to information leakage due to cleartext logging of sensitive data.

Understanding CVE-2017-6165

This CVE involves the logging of HSM partition passwords in cleartext to a log file in F5 BIG-IP products, potentially exposing sensitive information.

What is CVE-2017-6165?

The vulnerability affects versions 11.5.1 HF6 through 11.5.4 HF4, 11.6.0 through 11.6.1 HF1, and 12.0.0 through 12.1.2 of F5 BIG-IP LTM, AAM, AFM, Analytics, APM, ASM, DNS, GTM, Link Controller, PEM, and WebSafe.

The Impact of CVE-2017-6165

The issue allows an attacker to access sensitive HSM partition passwords stored in cleartext, potentially leading to unauthorized access and data compromise.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-6165

This section provides more in-depth technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability involves a script that synchronizes SafeNet External Network HSM configuration elements between blades in a clustered deployment, inadvertently logging HSM partition passwords in cleartext to the "/var/log/ltm" log file.

Affected Systems and Versions

F5 BIG-IP LTM, AAM, AFM, Analytics, APM, ASM, DNS, GTM, Link Controller, PEM, and WebSafe
Versions: 11.5.1 HF6 through 11.5.4 HF4, 11.6.0 through 11.6.1 HF1, and 12.0.0 through 12.1.2

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by an attacker with access to the log files containing the cleartext HSM partition passwords, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive information.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2017-6165, users and administrators should take immediate and long-term security measures.

Immediate Steps to Take

Monitor log files for any unauthorized access or suspicious activities related to HSM partition passwords.
Implement access controls to restrict unauthorized access to log files containing sensitive information.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly review and update security configurations to prevent similar information leakage vulnerabilities.
Train personnel on secure coding practices and data handling to minimize the risk of sensitive data exposure.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches or updates provided by F5 Networks, Inc. to address the vulnerability and prevent potential information leakage.