CVE-2022-23032 - DNS Rebinding Attack Vulnerability for BIG-IP Edge Clients on Mac and Windows

In all versions of BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) before 7.2.1.4, there exists a vulnerability that can potentially let attackers perform DNS rebinding attacks on the BIG-IP Edge Clients for Mac and Windows when running under vulnerable proxy settings. Before discussing the details of the vulnerability, let's first understand what DNS rebinding is and why it's critical.

DNS rebinding attacks occur when an attacker abuses the Domain Name System (DNS) to bypass the same-origin policy. It tricks the victim's web browser into communicating with an attacker-controlled server, potentially exposing sensitive information or gaining unauthorized access to the victim's internal network or system.

This blog post will provide a detailed understanding of the CVE-2022-23032 vulnerability, the affected BIG-IP software versions, and how the vulnerability can be exploited. We'll also discuss the appropriate mitigation steps.

Vulnerability Details

The vulnerability, identified as CVE-2022-23032, affects BIG-IP Edge Clients on Mac and Windows when the network access resource of BIG-IP APM systems is configured with proxy settings. The following conditions must be met for a successful exploitation:

BIG-IP Edge Client on Mac or Windows is connected to the vulnerable system.

When these conditions align, an attacker can potentially execute a DNS rebinding attack against the targeted system, exposing sensitive information or gaining unauthorized access.

Affected Versions

All software versions of BIG-IP APM before 7.2.1.4 are affected by CVE-2022-23032. However, software versions that have reached their End of Technical Support (EoTS) status are not evaluated for this vulnerability. To check the support status of your BIG-IP software version, refer to F5's support portal.

Exploit Example

Here's a simple example of a DNS rebinding attack that could potentially exploit the CVE-2022-23032 vulnerability:

// Initiate DNS rebinding attack
fetch("http://example.com/target";).then((response) => {
  if (response) {
    // Function to be executed on successful exploitation
  } else {
    // Function to be executed if the attack fails
  }
});

In this sample code snippet, the attacker tricks the victim's browser into sending a request to example.com/target. If the exploitation is successful, the attacker can extract sensitive information or execute malicious actions on the victim's system.

Mitigation Steps

The recommended course of action to protect against CVE-2022-23032 is to upgrade the BIG-IP APM system to version 7.2.1.4 or later. This latest major version contains patches and improvements that address the vulnerability. You can download the software update from F5's download portal.

In addition to upgrading the software, it is essential to practice general security best practices, such as using strong authentication and authorization mechanisms, limiting user access, and configuring edge firewall rules to prevent unauthorized access.

Conclusion

CVE-2022-23032 presents a critical risk to organizations that rely on BIG-IP APM systems with proxy settings configured in the network access resource. Ensuring that the software is up-to-date and following security best practices can significantly reduce the chances of exploitation. Please refer to the F5 security advisory (K01060051) for more information and updates on this vulnerability.

Timeline

Published on: 01/25/2022 20:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 02/01/2022 19:21:00 UTC