CVE-2025-55670: CWE-770 Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling in F5 BIG-IP Next SPK
On BIG-IP Next CNF, BIG-IP Next SPK, and BIG-IP Next for Kubernetes systems, repeated undisclosed API calls can cause the Traffic Management Microkernel (TMM) to terminate. Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
CVE-2025-55670 is a vulnerability identified in F5 BIG-IP Next SPK version 1.7.0, specifically affecting the Traffic Management Microkernel (TMM) component. The issue arises from the allocation of resources without proper limits or throttling when processing repeated, undisclosed API calls. This behavior corresponds to CWE-770, which describes scenarios where software fails to impose restrictions on resource consumption, potentially leading to resource exhaustion. In this case, an attacker with network access and low privileges can repeatedly invoke certain API calls, causing TMM to terminate unexpectedly. The termination of TMM disrupts the traffic management functions of the BIG-IP system, resulting in denial of service (DoS). The vulnerability does not compromise confidentiality or integrity but impacts availability by causing service outages. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.5, reflecting a medium severity level, with an attack vector over the network, low attack complexity, and no user interaction required. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, and the vulnerability affects supported versions only, excluding those that have reached End of Technical Support. The lack of patch links suggests that a fix may be forthcoming or that mitigation strategies should be applied in the interim. This vulnerability is particularly relevant for environments relying on BIG-IP Next SPK for critical traffic management, including cloud-native and Kubernetes deployments.
Potential Impact
The primary impact of CVE-2025-55670 is a denial of service condition caused by the termination of the Traffic Management Microkernel (TMM) on affected BIG-IP Next SPK systems. This disruption can lead to network traffic management failures, potentially causing outages or degraded performance for applications and services relying on these devices. Organizations that use BIG-IP Next SPK in their network infrastructure, especially for load balancing, security, and traffic routing, may experience service interruptions, impacting business continuity and user experience. While confidentiality and integrity remain unaffected, the availability impact can be significant in environments where BIG-IP devices are critical for operational uptime. The requirement for low privileges and network access lowers the barrier for exploitation, increasing the risk in exposed environments. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially if attackers develop exploits in the future. Overall, the vulnerability poses a moderate risk to organizations with BIG-IP Next SPK deployments, particularly those in sectors where network availability is crucial.
Mitigation Recommendations
To mitigate CVE-2025-55670, organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Monitor and analyze API call patterns to detect and alert on repeated or abnormal usage that could indicate exploitation attempts. 2) Apply rate limiting or throttling controls on the relevant API endpoints to prevent resource exhaustion from repeated calls. 3) Restrict network access to BIG-IP Next SPK management and API interfaces using segmentation, firewalls, and access control lists to limit exposure to trusted sources only. 4) Enforce the principle of least privilege by ensuring that accounts with API access have minimal permissions necessary for their function. 5) Stay informed on vendor advisories and apply patches or updates promptly once released by F5 to address this vulnerability. 6) Consider deploying redundancy and failover mechanisms for BIG-IP devices to maintain service availability in case of TMM termination. 7) Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focusing on API security and resource management. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on proactive detection, access restriction, and operational resilience tailored to the nature of this vulnerability.
Affected Countries
United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan, Australia, Canada, Netherlands, Singapore, South Korea
CVE-2025-55670: CWE-770 Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling in F5 BIG-IP Next SPK
Description
On BIG-IP Next CNF, BIG-IP Next SPK, and BIG-IP Next for Kubernetes systems, repeated undisclosed API calls can cause the Traffic Management Microkernel (TMM) to terminate. Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated.
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
CVE-2025-55670 is a vulnerability identified in F5 BIG-IP Next SPK version 1.7.0, specifically affecting the Traffic Management Microkernel (TMM) component. The issue arises from the allocation of resources without proper limits or throttling when processing repeated, undisclosed API calls. This behavior corresponds to CWE-770, which describes scenarios where software fails to impose restrictions on resource consumption, potentially leading to resource exhaustion. In this case, an attacker with network access and low privileges can repeatedly invoke certain API calls, causing TMM to terminate unexpectedly. The termination of TMM disrupts the traffic management functions of the BIG-IP system, resulting in denial of service (DoS). The vulnerability does not compromise confidentiality or integrity but impacts availability by causing service outages. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.5, reflecting a medium severity level, with an attack vector over the network, low attack complexity, and no user interaction required. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, and the vulnerability affects supported versions only, excluding those that have reached End of Technical Support. The lack of patch links suggests that a fix may be forthcoming or that mitigation strategies should be applied in the interim. This vulnerability is particularly relevant for environments relying on BIG-IP Next SPK for critical traffic management, including cloud-native and Kubernetes deployments.
Potential Impact
The primary impact of CVE-2025-55670 is a denial of service condition caused by the termination of the Traffic Management Microkernel (TMM) on affected BIG-IP Next SPK systems. This disruption can lead to network traffic management failures, potentially causing outages or degraded performance for applications and services relying on these devices. Organizations that use BIG-IP Next SPK in their network infrastructure, especially for load balancing, security, and traffic routing, may experience service interruptions, impacting business continuity and user experience. While confidentiality and integrity remain unaffected, the availability impact can be significant in environments where BIG-IP devices are critical for operational uptime. The requirement for low privileges and network access lowers the barrier for exploitation, increasing the risk in exposed environments. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially if attackers develop exploits in the future. Overall, the vulnerability poses a moderate risk to organizations with BIG-IP Next SPK deployments, particularly those in sectors where network availability is crucial.
Mitigation Recommendations
To mitigate CVE-2025-55670, organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Monitor and analyze API call patterns to detect and alert on repeated or abnormal usage that could indicate exploitation attempts. 2) Apply rate limiting or throttling controls on the relevant API endpoints to prevent resource exhaustion from repeated calls. 3) Restrict network access to BIG-IP Next SPK management and API interfaces using segmentation, firewalls, and access control lists to limit exposure to trusted sources only. 4) Enforce the principle of least privilege by ensuring that accounts with API access have minimal permissions necessary for their function. 5) Stay informed on vendor advisories and apply patches or updates promptly once released by F5 to address this vulnerability. 6) Consider deploying redundancy and failover mechanisms for BIG-IP devices to maintain service availability in case of TMM termination. 7) Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focusing on API security and resource management. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on proactive detection, access restriction, and operational resilience tailored to the nature of this vulnerability.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.1
- Assigner Short Name
- f5
- Date Reserved
- 2025-10-03T23:04:21.127Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
Threat ID: 68efa99427d7577a1800409e
Added to database: 10/15/2025, 2:03:00 PM
Last enriched: 2/27/2026, 5:37:04 AM
Last updated: 3/25/2026, 1:42:37 AM
Views: 81
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