CVE-2023-3470
BIG-IP FIPS HSM password vulnerability CVE-2023-3470
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.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- High
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
BIG-IP FIPS HSM password vulnerability CVE-2023-3470
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.
- Record
CVE-2023-3470- CVSS 3.1
- 6.0 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-1391
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-44131
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.
- Record
EUVD-2023-44131- CVSS 3.1
- 6.0 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-jfqg-q3jr-w9mv
Specific F5 BIG-IP platforms with Cavium Nitrox FIPS HSM cards generate a deterministic password...
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.
- Record
GHSA-jfqg-q3jr-w9mv- CVSS 3.1
- 6.0 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-287, CWE-521, CWE-1391
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
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.
- Record
CVE-2023-3470- CVSS 3.1
- 6.0 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - CVSS 3.1
- 6.1 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-1391, CWE-287
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
- f5 big-ip
- 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
Show 19 moreShow less
- 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
- f5 big-ip global traffic manager
- f5 big-ip i15820-df firmware
- f5 big-ip i5820-df firmware
- f5 big-ip i7820-df firmware
- f5 big-ip link controller
- f5 big-ip local traffic manager
- f5 big-ip policy enforcement manager
- f5 big-ip ssl orchestrator
- f5 big-ip webaccelerator
- f5 big-ip websafe
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases, published | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2023-3470 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.0) in F5 Big-ip, published August 2, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.18%, the 7th percentile. No source names a fixed version.