Security Resilience

CVE-2020-5902

Path Traversal in F5 Big-Ip Access Policy Manager 11.6.1 – 11.6.5.2

CISA KEVActive ExploitationEUVD ExploitedPublic PoCRansomware-linkedPath Traversal
Published
01 July 2020
Modified
27 October 2025
KEV Added
03 November 2021
Patch / advisory
View advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 9.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.99 100.0th percentile
Risk Priority 97 floored blend · peak EPSS

CVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.

Summary

CVE-2020-5902 is a critical-severity Path Traversal (CWE-22) vulnerability in F5 Big-Ip Access Policy Manager. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Data Obfuscation (T1001); ranked in the top 0.0% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

CVE-2020-5902 is a remote code execution vulnerability in the Traffic Management User Interface (TMUI), also known as the Configuration utility, of F5 BIG-IP products. It stems from a path traversal flaw (CWE-22) present in undisclosed pages and affects versions 15.0.0-15.1.0.3, 14.1.0-14.1.2.5, 13.1.0-13.1.3.3, 12.1.0-12.1.5.1, and 11.6.1-11.6.5.1. The issue carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 9.8, reflecting network-accessible exploitation without authentication or user interaction.

Unauthenticated remote attackers can leverage the flaw to execute arbitrary code on affected systems, resulting in complete compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Public proof-of-concept material demonstrates exploitation chains involving directory traversal combined with file upload or local file inclusion to achieve code execution.

Multiple exploit implementations and scanning tools targeting this vulnerability have been released on Packet Storm Security, including scripts for remote code execution, directory traversal file upload, and local file inclusion on specific builds such as 13.1.3.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

A01:2025 Broken Access Control

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

In BIG-IP versions 15.0.0-15.1.0.3, 14.1.0-14.1.2.5, 13.1.0-13.1.3.3, 12.1.0-12.1.5.1, and 11.6.1-11.6.5.1, the Traffic Management User Interface (TMUI), also referred to as the Configuration utility, has a Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability in undisclosed pages.

CWE(s)
CWE-22
KEV Date Added
03 November 2021

Related Threats

Threat-Actor AttributionAI

AnonOps
Threat Actor Exploitation of F5 BIG-IP CVE-2020-5902 | CISA
Microsoft Corp. (Salesforce / Slack engineer recruitment claims)
Chinese Ministry of State Security-Affiliated Cyber Threat Actor Activity | CISA
Google LLC (civil insider-recruitment defendant)
Iran-Based Threat Actor Exploits VPN Vulnerabilities | CISA
Darkhotel (G0012)
Iran-Based Threat Actor Exploits VPN Vulnerabilities | CISA
Fox Kitten (G0117)
Iran-Based Threat Actor Exploits VPN Vulnerabilities | CISA
APT1 (G0006)
Potential for China Cyber Response to Heightened U.S.–China Tensions | CISA
Deep Panda (G0009)
Potential for China Cyber Response to Heightened U.S.–China Tensions | CISA
APT3 (G0022)
Potential for China Cyber Response to Heightened U.S.–China Tensions | CISA
Winnti Group (G0044)
Potential for China Cyber Response to Heightened U.S.–China Tensions | CISA
menuPass (G0045)
Potential for China Cyber Response to Heightened U.S.–China Tensions | CISA
Leviathan (G0065)
Potential for China Cyber Response to Heightened U.S.–China Tensions | CISA
APT19 (G0073)
Potential for China Cyber Response to Heightened U.S.–China Tensions | CISA
APT41 (G0096)
Potential for China Cyber Response to Heightened U.S.–China Tensions | CISA
APT29 (G0016)
Top Routinely Exploited Vulnerabilities | CISA
Equation (G0020)
Top Routinely Exploited Vulnerabilities | CISA
NOTROBIN
Top Routinely Exploited Vulnerabilities | CISA
CrowdStrike (McAfee / Symantec civil claims)
Understanding and Mitigating Russian State-Sponsored Cyber Threats to U.S. Critical Infrastructure | CISA
APT28 (G0007)
Understanding and Mitigating Russian State-Sponsored Cyber Threats to U.S. Critical Infrastructure | CISA
Sandworm Team (G0034)
Understanding and Mitigating Russian State-Sponsored Cyber Threats to U.S. Critical Infrastructure | CISA
Dragonfly (G0035)
Understanding and Mitigating Russian State-Sponsored Cyber Threats to U.S. Critical Infrastructure | CISA
HAFNIUM (G0125)
Top CVEs Actively Exploited By People’s Republic of China State-Sponsored Cyber Actors | CISA
l group
Top Routinely Exploited Vulnerabilities | CISA

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1001 Data Obfuscation Command And Control
Adversaries may obfuscate command and control traffic to make it more difficult to detect.
attack.mitre.org →
T1003.003 NTDS Credential Access
Adversaries may attempt to access or create a copy of the Active Directory domain database in order to steal credential information, as well as obtain other information about domain members such as devices, users, and access rights.
attack.mitre.org →
T1003.004 LSA Secrets Credential Access
Adversaries with SYSTEM access to a host may attempt to access Local Security Authority (LSA) secrets, which can contain a variety of different credential materials, such as credentials for service accounts.
attack.mitre.org →
T1003.006 DCSync Credential Access
Adversaries may attempt to access credentials and other sensitive information by abusing a Windows Domain Controller's application programming interface (API)(Citation: Microsoft DRSR Dec 2017) (Citation: Microsoft GetNCCChanges) (Citati…
attack.mitre.org →
T1016.001 Internet Connection Discovery Discovery
Adversaries may check for Internet connectivity on compromised systems.
attack.mitre.org →
T1018 Remote System Discovery Discovery
Adversaries may attempt to get a listing of other systems by IP address, hostname, or other logical identifier on a network that may be used for Lateral Movement from the current system.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-41373Same product: F5 Big-Ip Access Policy Manager
CVE-2023-28406Same product: F5 Big-Ip Access Policy Manager
CVE-2025-54755Same product: F5 Big-Ip Access Policy Manager
CVE-2026-42780Same product class: WAF / load balancer
CVE-2025-14727Same vendor: F5
CVE-2023-42130Same product class: WAF / load balancer
CVE-2023-42129Same product class: WAF / load balancer
CVE-2024-7634Same vendor: F5
CVE-2024-23607Same vendor: F5
CVE-2026-20916Same vendor: F5

Affected Assets

f5
big-ip access policy manager
11.6.1 — 11.6.5.2 · 12.1.0 — 12.1.5.2 · 13.1.0 — 13.1.3.4
f5
big-ip advanced firewall manager
11.6.1 — 11.6.5.2 · 12.1.0 — 12.1.5.2 · 13.1.0 — 13.1.3.4
f5
big-ip advanced web application firewall
11.6.1 — 11.6.5.2 · 12.1.0 — 12.1.5.2 · 13.1.0 — 13.1.3.4
f5
big-ip analytics
11.6.1 — 11.6.5.2 · 12.1.0 — 12.1.5.2 · 13.1.0 — 13.1.3.4
f5
big-ip application acceleration manager
11.6.1 — 11.6.5.2 · 12.1.0 — 12.1.5.2 · 13.1.0 — 13.1.3.4
f5
big-ip application security manager
11.6.1 — 11.6.5.2 · 12.1.0 — 12.1.5.2 · 13.1.0 — 13.1.3.4
f5
big-ip ddos hybrid defender
11.6.1 — 11.6.5.2 · 12.1.0 — 12.1.5.2 · 13.1.0 — 13.1.3.4
f5
big-ip domain name system
11.6.1 — 11.6.5.2 · 12.1.0 — 12.1.5.2 · 13.1.0 — 13.1.3.4
f5
big-ip fraud protection service
11.6.1 — 11.6.5.2 · 12.1.0 — 12.1.5.2 · 13.1.0 — 13.1.3.4
f5
big-ip global traffic manager
11.6.1 — 11.6.5.2 · 12.1.0 — 12.1.5.2 · 13.1.0 — 13.1.3.4
+4 more product configuration(s) — see NVD for full list

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

—

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

—

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)

—

Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V5.3.2

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

SI-10 Information Input Validation
addresses: CWE-22

Validates pathnames and filenames to prevent traversal outside intended directories.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-02 partial match
blocks

Patching/maintenance can remediate known path-traversal flaws in deployed software (partial prevention of exploitability) but does nothing to stop the coding defect from being introduced in the first place.

PR.AA-05 none match
blocks

PR.AA-05 defines and reviews access policies but does not address code-level pathname neutralization, so neither direction prevents CWE-22.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

A.5.14 Information transfer partial match
removes
A.5.15 Access control partial match
removes
A.5.16 Identity management partial match
removes
A.5.17 Authentication information partial match
removes
A.5.18 Access rights partial match
removes
A.8.10 Information deletion partial match
removes

References