How severe is CVE-2021-23042?

CVE-2021-23042 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-2021-23042 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (55th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-23042?

CVE-2021-23042 primarily affects F5 Big-ip Access Policy Manager. In total, 14 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-23042?

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-2021-23042 published?

CVE-2021-23042 was published on 2021-09-14 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-23042

CVE-2021-23042 is a high-severity vulnerability in F5 Big-ip Access Policy 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: 4.3
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (55th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-400
Affected product: F5 Big-ip Access Policy Manager
Published: 2021-09-14
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

On BIG-IP version 16.0.x before 16.0.1.2, 15.1.x before 15.1.3, 14.1.x before 14.1.4, 13.1.x before 13.1.4, and 12.1.x before 12.1.6, when an HTTP profile is configured on a virtual server, undisclosed requests can cause a significant increase in system resource utilization. Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-23042?: On BIG-IP version 16.0.x before 16.0.1.2, 15.1.x before 15.1.3, 14.1.x before 14.1.4, 13.1.x before 13.1.4, and 12.1.x before 12.1.6, when an HTTP profile is configured on a virtual server, undisclosed requests can cause a significant increase in system resource utilization. Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated.
How severe is CVE-2021-23042?: CVE-2021-23042 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-2021-23042 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (55th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-23042?: CVE-2021-23042 primarily affects F5 Big-ip Access Policy Manager. In total, 14 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-23042?: 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-2021-23042 published?: CVE-2021-23042 was published on 2021-09-14 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://support.f5.com/csp/article/K93231374

Affected products (14)

cpe:2.3:a:f5:big-ip_access_policy_manager:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:f5:big-ip_advanced_firewall_manager:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:f5:big-ip_advanced_web_application_firewall:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:f5:big-ip_analytics:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:f5:big-ip_application_acceleration_manager:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:f5:big-ip_application_security_manager:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:f5:big-ip_ddos_hybrid_defender:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:f5:big-ip_domain_name_system:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
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_local_traffic_manager:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:f5:big-ip_policy_enforcement_manager:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:f5:big-ip_ssl_orchestrator:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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