Hazard

Is CVE-2021-22986 being exploited?

Ransomware crews are using this

CISA has linked this vulnerability to known ransomware campaigns. Treat any exposed instance as an active incident, not a patching ticket.

F5 BIG-IP and BIG-IQ Centralized Management iControl REST Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

F5 · BIG-IP and BIG-IQ Centralized Management

CVSS 9.8 EPSS 100% 1 public exploit ransomware Fix deadline passed 17 November 2021

What it is

F5 BIG-IP and BIG-IQ Centralized Management contain a remote code execution vulnerability in the iControl REST interface that allows unauthenticated attackers with network access to execute system commands, create or delete files, and disable services.

Why we say that

  • Linked by CISA to known ransomware campaigns
  • EPSS puts exploitation in the next 30 days at 100%
  • 1 public exploit published
  • CISA's federal remediation deadline (2021-11-17) has passed
  • CVSS 9.8 critical
  • Listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue

Every line above comes from a named public source. Where the evidence is thin, we say so rather than inventing confidence — see methodology.

What to do

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

Public exploit code

Indexed from Exploit-DB. Presence of code raises urgency; absence does not mean safety.

What it costs when this goes wrong

This is where UK enforcement meets the vulnerability record. This vulnerability is used in ransomware campaigns; here is what ransomware has cost UK organisations at the regulator.

All UK cases caused by ransomware →