# CVE-2021-22980: Other in Edge Client

> An attacker can execute arbitrary code by placing a malicious DLL in the current directory when a user runs the F5 Edge Client Troubleshooting Utility.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 12 Feb 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-3p28-7652-rrq5

## What is CVE-2021-22980?

CVE-2021-22980 is a high-severity vulnerability in F5 Big-Ip Access Policy Manager, published on 12 Feb 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

In Edge Client version 7.2.x before 7.2.1.1, 7.1.9.x before 7.1.9.8, and 7.1.x-7.1.8.x before 7.1.8.5, an untrusted search path vulnerability in the BIG-IP APM Client Troubleshooting Utility (CTU) for Windows could allow an attacker to load a malicious DLL library from its current directory. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the victim must run this utility on the Windows system. Note: Software versions which have reached End of Software Development (EoSD) are not evaluated.

Weakness: CWE-426 (Untrusted Search Path)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-22980?

It affects 2 products.


Products: F5 Access Policy Manager Clients, F5 Big-Ip Access Policy Manager.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-22980?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-22980 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-22980 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-22980 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in F5 Big-Ip Access Policy Manager

- [CVE-2023-38418](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38418/): BIG-IP Edge Client for macOS vulnerability (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2022-29263](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-29263/): Other in BIG-IP APM (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2023-36858](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-36858/): BIG-IP Edge Client for Windows and macOS vulnerability (high 7.1)
- [CVE-2021-23002](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-23002/): Information disclosure in BIG-IP APM and Edge Client (medium 4.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-22980 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-22980 is a high-severity vulnerability in F5 Big-Ip Access Policy Manager, published on 12 Feb 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-22980 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: F5 Big-Ip Access Policy Manager. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-22980/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-22980/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-22980
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-22980
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-22980

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-22980/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.