How severe is CVE-2021-22985?

CVE-2021-22985 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2021-22985 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (58th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-22985?

CVE-2021-22985 affects F5 Big-ip Application Security Manager. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-22985?

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-2021-22985 published?

CVE-2021-22985 was published on 2021-02-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-22985

CVE-2021-22985 is a high-severity vulnerability in F5 Big-ip Application Security Manager with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5. 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-400.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.5)
CVSS v2: 7.8
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (58th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-400
Affected product: F5 Big-ip Application Security Manager
Published: 2021-02-12
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

On BIG-IP APM version 16.0.x before 16.0.1.1, under certain conditions, when processing VPN traffic with APM, TMM consumes excessive memory. A malicious, authenticated VPN user may abuse this to perform a DoS attack against the APM. Note: Software versions which have reached End of Software Development (EoSD) are not evaluated.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-22985?: On BIG-IP APM version 16.0.x before 16.0.1.1, under certain conditions, when processing VPN traffic with APM, TMM consumes excessive memory. A malicious, authenticated VPN user may abuse this to perform a DoS attack against the APM. Note: Software versions which have reached End of Software Development (EoSD) are not evaluated.
How severe is CVE-2021-22985?: CVE-2021-22985 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-22985 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (58th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-22985?: CVE-2021-22985 affects F5 Big-ip Application Security Manager. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-22985?: 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-2021-22985 published?: CVE-2021-22985 was published on 2021-02-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://support.f5.com/csp/article/K88162221

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:f5:big-ip_application_security_manager:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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