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CriticalCISA KEVExploited in the wildPublic exploit

F5 BIG-IP TMUI Remote Code Execution

IdentifiersCVE-2020-5902CWE-22· Improper Limitation of a Pathname…

CVE-2020-5902 is a critical vulnerability in the F5 BIG-IP Traffic Management User Interface (TMUI), also referred to as the Configuration utility, affecting 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 flaw is described in vendor and downstream reporting as a path traversal / directory traversal issue in undisclosed TMUI pages that can be leveraged without authentication when the management interface is reachable. Exploitation can be used to execute arbitrary system commands or Java code on the target BIG-IP device; public exploit material and Metasploit support also describe file upload and command execution leading to root shell access. F5 further indicated exploitation may permit file creation or deletion and service disruption, resulting in complete system compromise.

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ANALYST BRIEF

Impact, mitigation & remediation

What it means. What to do now. Patch path, mitigations, and the assume-compromise checklist.

Impact

What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.

Successful exploitation can result in unauthenticated remote code execution on the BIG-IP device, including arbitrary system command execution or Java code execution with root privileges. Reported impacts include full takeover of the appliance, creation or deletion of files, disabling of services, credential theft, data access or exfiltration, deployment of malware such as cryptominers or backdoors, and use of the compromised edge device as a foothold for persistence, lateral movement, and broader network compromise.

Mitigation

If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.

If immediate patching is not possible, restrict access to TMUI to the fullest extent possible. The content specifically notes exposure risk when TMUI is reachable via the management port or Self IPs, so mitigation should include removing internet exposure, limiting management access to trusted administrative networks or allowlisted hosts, and ensuring Self IP port lockdown does not permit unintended TMUI access. Network segmentation should be used to reduce follow-on lateral movement. F5 also published workarounds and mitigation guidance, though the content notes some early mitigations were reportedly bypassable and that patching is the preferred and most reliable fix.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Upgrade to a fixed BIG-IP release provided by F5. The supporting content identifies fixed versions as 11.6.5.2, 12.1.5.2, 13.1.3.4, 14.1.2.6, and 15.1.0.4 for the affected branches. Because active exploitation was observed shortly after disclosure and F5 assessed that unpatched internet-exposed systems were likely already compromised, organizations should not rely on patching alone where exposure existed. If compromise is suspected or confirmed, follow incident response procedures: isolate or quarantine the device, collect forensic artifacts, reimage or reconstitute the system as appropriate, rotate credentials that may have been exposed, and investigate for downstream persistence or lateral movement.
PUBLIC EXPLOITS

Exploits

6 valid exploits after Mallory filtered fakes, detection scripts, and README-only repos (14 hidden).

VALID 6 / 20 TOTALView more in app
CVE-2020-5902MaturityPoCVerified exploit

Repository contains a single Python proof-of-concept exploit script and a detailed README for CVE-2020-5902 (F5 BIG-IP TMUI). The exploit is a network-based, unauthenticated attack against the BIG-IP management interface (TMUI) leveraging a traversal sequence in the path (`/tmui/login.jsp/..;/...`) to reach internal JSP utilities. Structure/purpose: - `CVE-2020-5902.py`: Standalone Python3 CLI tool using `requests` with TLS verification disabled. Provides two exploit primitives: 1) `file_read(target, filepath)`: Sends a GET request to `.../workspace/fileRead.jsp?fileName=...` to retrieve arbitrary file contents. 2) `command_exec(target, cmd)`: Sends a GET request to `.../workspace/tmshCmd.jsp?command=...` with a URL-encoded tmsh command `run util bash -c '<cmd>'`, enabling arbitrary OS command execution (RCE). Prints response body as output. The script takes `--target`, `--mode {read,exec}`, and either `--file` or `--command`. - `README.md`: Explains impact, affected versions, and provides usage examples including reading `/etc/passwd` and `/config/bigip.conf`, and executing commands/reverse shell. Overall, this is an operational PoC exploit (not just detection) that can directly read files and execute commands on vulnerable F5 BIG-IP TMUI instances exposed over HTTP(S), typically on ports 443/8443.

zaryouhashrafDisclosed Mar 3, 2026pythonmarkdownnetwork
F5-BIG-IP-POCMaturityPoCVerified exploit

This repository is a collection of Proof-of-Concept (POC) exploits for three critical vulnerabilities affecting F5 BIG-IP devices: CVE-2020-5902, CVE-2021-22986, and CVE-2022-1388. The code is written in Go and consists of four main files: one for each CVE and a main orchestrator (F5.go). The main entry point (F5.go) parses command-line arguments for the target URL and command to execute, then sequentially tests each vulnerability. - CVE-2020-5902 exploit attempts to read the /etc/passwd file via a crafted HTTP GET request, indicating a successful exploit if the file is retrieved. - CVE-2021-22986 and CVE-2022-1388 exploits send crafted HTTP POST requests to the /mgmt/tm/util/bash endpoint, attempting to execute arbitrary shell commands (default is 'id', but customizable via the -c flag). The repository is intended for authorized security research and includes a README with usage instructions and vulnerability descriptions. No hardcoded IPs or domains are present; the user must supply the target URL. The attack vector is network-based, targeting exposed F5 BIG-IP management interfaces over HTTPS.

west9bDisclosed May 28, 2022gonetwork
f5-bigip-rce-cve-2020-5902MaturityPoCVerified exploit

This repository provides a Python exploit script (f5-bigip-rce-cve-2020-5902.py) targeting the F5 BIG-IP TMUI remote code execution vulnerability (CVE-2020-5902). The script supports both single and batch IP testing, and offers multiple exploitation features: checking for the vulnerability, reading and writing arbitrary files, listing authentication users, listing directories, executing arbitrary shell commands (RCE), and checking for hsqldb authentication bypass. The main exploit leverages HTTP requests with crafted paths to exploit path traversal and command injection vulnerabilities in the TMUI component. The repository includes a README with detailed usage instructions, a sample IP list (1-2-f5.txt), and result directories for batch operations. The exploit is operational and can be used to gain unauthorized access and execute commands on vulnerable F5 BIG-IP systems.

theLSADisclosed Jul 10, 2020pythonnetwork
cve-2020-5902MaturityPoCVerified exploit

This repository contains a Python proof-of-concept exploit for CVE-2020-5902, a critical path traversal vulnerability in F5 BIG-IP devices. The main script, 'cve-2020-5902.py', allows an attacker to: - Check if a target URL is vulnerable by attempting to read /etc/passwd and looking for the 'root' user. - Read arbitrary files from the target system by specifying a file path. - Download multiple files in bulk from a list (provided in 'files.txt'). - Enumerate users and hostnames by reading /etc/passwd and /etc/hosts. - Scan a list of IPs/URLs to check for vulnerable hosts. The exploit works by sending crafted HTTP GET requests to a vulnerable endpoint on the target, exploiting the path traversal to access sensitive files. The repository includes a README with usage instructions, the main exploit script, and a sample file list ('files.txt') containing common Linux file paths to target. The exploit is a functional POC and does not include weaponized payloads beyond file reading capabilities.

r0ttenbeefDisclosed Jul 6, 2020pythonnetwork
CVE-2020-5902MaturityPoCVerified exploit

This repository provides a working exploit for CVE-2020-5902, a critical unauthenticated remote code execution vulnerability in the F5 BIG-IP Traffic Management User Interface (TMUI). The main exploit script, CVE-2020-5902.py, is a Python tool that chains several vulnerable endpoints in the TMUI web interface to achieve arbitrary command execution as root. The exploit works by abusing directory traversal in the URL to access internal JSP endpoints (tmshCmd.jsp, fileSave.jsp, fileRead.jsp, directoryList.jsp) that allow for command execution, file read/write, and directory listing. The script is interactive, allowing the user to specify arbitrary shell commands to execute on the target. The repository also includes Java source files that appear to be decompiled or reference implementations of the vulnerable endpoints, providing insight into the backend logic of the TMUI interface. The README.md provides detailed usage instructions, example requests, and references to related exploits and mitigations. The exploit is operational and can be used to fully compromise vulnerable F5 BIG-IP systems with exposed management interfaces.

jas502nDisclosed Jul 5, 2020pythonjavanetwork
CVE-2020-5902MaturityPoCVerified exploit

This repository contains a Python exploit script (CVE-2020-5902.py) targeting the F5 Big-IP vulnerability CVE-2020-5902. The script allows an attacker to exploit the vulnerability in two ways: (1) Local File Read (LFR), which fetches arbitrary files from the target system, and (2) Remote Command Execution (RCE), which executes arbitrary commands on the target device. The script takes command-line arguments to specify the target host, exploit type, command to execute, and file to read. It constructs and sends crafted HTTPS requests to vulnerable endpoints on the F5 Big-IP management interface. The repository also includes a README.md with usage instructions and a requirements.txt listing dependencies (requests, urllib3). The exploit is operational and provides real attack capabilities against vulnerable F5 Big-IP devices.

dunderhayDisclosed Jul 6, 2020pythonnetwork
EXPOSURE SURFACE

Affected products & vendors

Products and vendors Mallory has correlated with this vulnerability. Open in Mallory to drill down to specific CPE configurations and version ranges.

VendorProductType
F5Big-Ip Access Policy Managerapplication
F5Big-Ip Advanced Firewall Managerapplication
F5Big-Ip Advanced Web Application Firewallapplication
F5Big-Ip Analyticsapplication
F5Big-Ip Application Acceleration Managerapplication
F5Big-Ip Application Security Managerapplication
F5Big-Ip Ddos Hybrid Defenderapplication
F5Big-Ip Domain Name Systemapplication
F5Big-Ip Fraud Protection Serviceapplication
F5Big-Ip Global Traffic Managerapplication
F5Big-Ip Link Controllerapplication
F5Big-Ip Local Traffic Managerapplication
F5Big-Ip Policy Enforcement Managerapplication
F5Ssl Orchestratorapplication

Vendor-confirmed product mapping. Mallory continuously reconciles this list against your asset inventory.

What this page doesn’t show

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Exposure mapping

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Threat actor evidence7

Every observed campaign linking this CVE to a named adversary.

Associated malware8

Malware families riding this exploit, with evidence and IOCs.

Detection signatures2

YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.

Vendor-by-vendor mapping

Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.

Social activity6

Community discussion across Reddit, Mastodon, and other social sources.