How severe is CVE-2018-5531?

CVE-2018-5531 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.4, rated high severity. It is exploitable over an adjacent network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2018-5531 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (40th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2018-5531?

CVE-2018-5531 primarily affects F5 Big-ip Local Traffic Manager. In total, 13 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2018-5531?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2018-5531 published?

CVE-2018-5531 was published on 2018-07-25 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2018-5531

CVE-2018-5531 is a high-severity vulnerability in F5 Big-ip Local Traffic Manager with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.4. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-20.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.4)
CVSS v2: 6.1
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (40th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-20
Affected product: F5 Big-ip Local Traffic Manager
Published: 2018-07-25
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Through undisclosed methods, on F5 BIG-IP 13.0.0-13.1.0.7, 12.1.0-12.1.3.5, 11.6.0-11.6.3.1, or 11.2.1-11.5.6, adjacent network attackers can cause a denial of service for VCMP guest and host systems. Attack must be sourced from adjacent network (layer 2).

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-5531?: Through undisclosed methods, on F5 BIG-IP 13.0.0-13.1.0.7, 12.1.0-12.1.3.5, 11.6.0-11.6.3.1, or 11.2.1-11.5.6, adjacent network attackers can cause a denial of service for VCMP guest and host systems. Attack must be sourced from adjacent network (layer 2).
How severe is CVE-2018-5531?: CVE-2018-5531 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.4, rated high severity. It is exploitable over an adjacent network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2018-5531 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (40th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2018-5531?: CVE-2018-5531 primarily affects F5 Big-ip Local Traffic Manager. In total, 13 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-5531?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2018-5531 published?: CVE-2018-5531 was published on 2018-07-25 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://support.f5.com/csp/article/K64721111

Affected products (13)

cpe:2.3:a:f5:big-ip_local_traffic_manager:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:f5:big-ip_application_acceleration_manager:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:f5:big-ip_advanced_firewall_manager:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:f5:big-ip_analytics:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:f5:big-ip_access_policy_manager:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:f5:big-ip_application_security_manager:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:f5:big-ip_domain_name_system:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:f5:big-ip_edge_gateway:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:f5:big-ip_fraud_protection_service:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:f5:big-ip_global_traffic_manager:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:f5:big-ip_link_controller:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:f5:big-ip_policy_enforcement_manager:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:f5:big-ip_webaccelerator:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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