CVE-2020-5902 F5 BIG-IP Traffic Management User Interface (TMUI) Remote Code Execution

Exploited in the wild Critical 9.8 Published 1 Jul 2020 Updated 21 Oct 2025

Attackers can achieve remote code execution on F5 BIG-IP devices via path traversal in the TMUI Configuration utility.

Exploited in the wild: Since 3 Nov 2021
Login needed: Not needed
Attackable: Over the internet
Victim action needed: Not needed
Fix: None listed

What is CVE-2020-5902?

CVE-2020-5902 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in F5 Big-Ip Access Policy Manager, published on 1 Jul 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

Official description

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.

Weakness: CWE-22

Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-5902?

It affects 14 products.

Products include F5 Big-Ip Access Policy Manager, F5 Big-Ip Advanced Firewall Manager, F5 Big-Ip Advanced Web Application Firewall, F5 Big-Ip Analytics, F5 Big-Ip Application Acceleration Manager, F5 Big-Ip Application Security Manager and 8 more.

How do I fix CVE-2020-5902?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-5902 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 3 May 2022.

Upgrade, and resolve every user-supplied path against an allowed base folder before opening it. More about Path traversal.

Is CVE-2020-5902 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2020-5902 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021, including in ransomware campaigns.

Public exploit code: 1 Metasploit module, 3 Exploit-DB entries, 1 Nuclei template and 55 proofs of concept on GitHub.

All F5 Big-Ip Access Policy Manager vulnerabilities

Sources

Also known as GHSA-2859-2hr6-f86v.