# CVE-2023-3470: BIG-IP FIPS HSM password vulnerability CVE-2023-3470

> Authenticated users or physical attackers can derive deterministic HSM passwords to access cryptographic keys across vCMP guests.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 2 Aug 2023
- **Updated:** 22 Oct 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jfqg-q3jr-w9mv

## What is CVE-2023-3470?

CVE-2023-3470 is a medium-severity vulnerability in F5 Big-Ip Access Policy Manager, published on 2 Aug 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Specific F5 BIG-IP platforms with Cavium Nitrox FIPS HSM cards generate a deterministic password for the Crypto User account.  The predictable nature of the password allows an authenticated user with TMSH access to the BIG-IP system, or anyone with physical access to the FIPS HSM, the information required to generate the correct password.  On vCMP systems, all Guests share the same deterministic password, allowing those with TMSH access on one Guest to access keys of a different Guest.

The following BIG-IP hardware platforms are affected: 10350v-F, i5820-DF, i7820-DF, i15820-DF, 5250v-F, 7200v-F, 10200v-F, 6900-F, 8900-F, 11000-F, and 11050-F.

The BIG-IP rSeries r5920-DF and r10920-DF are not affected, nor does the issue affect software FIPS implementations or network HSM configurations.

Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated.

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication), CWE-1391 (Use of Weak Credentials)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-3470?

It affects 30 products.


Products: F5 Big-Ip 10200v-F Firmware, F5 Big-Ip 10350v-F Firmware, F5 Big-Ip 11000-F Firmware, F5 Big-Ip 11050-F Firmware, F5 Big-Ip 5250v-F Firmware, F5 Big-Ip 6900-F Firmware, F5 Big-Ip 7200v-F Firmware, F5 Big-Ip 8900-F Firmware, 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, F5 Big-Ip Application Visibility and Reporting, F5 Big-Ip Carrier-Grade Nat, F5 Big-Ip Ddos Hybrid Defender, F5 Big-Ip Domain Name System, F5 Big-Ip Edge Gateway, F5 Big-Ip Fraud Protection Service and 10 more.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-3470?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-3470 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-3470 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-3470 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-3470 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-3470 is a medium-severity vulnerability in F5 Big-Ip Access Policy Manager, published on 2 Aug 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-3470 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-2023-3470/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-3470/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-3470
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-3470
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-3470

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-3470/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.