---
id: CVE-2025-53521
title: "When a BIG-IP APM access policy is configured on a virtual server, specific malicious traffic can lead to Remote Code Execution (RCE).\_\_\n\nNote: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated."
summary: "When a BIG-IP APM access policy is configured on a virtual server, specific malicious traffic can lead to Remote Code Execution (RCE).\_\_\n\nNote: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated."
severity: critical
cvss: 9.8
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'
cwe:
  - CWE-121
vendor: f5
product: big-ip_access_policy_manager
affected:
  - 'big-ip_access_policy_manager >= 15.1.0, < 15.1.10.8'
  - 'big-ip_access_policy_manager >= 16.1.0, < 16.1.6.1'
  - 'big-ip_access_policy_manager >= 17.1.0, < 17.1.3'
  - 'big-ip_access_policy_manager >= 17.5.0, < 17.5.1.3'
patched:
  - big-ip_access_policy_manager 17.5.1.3
published: '2025-10-15'
updated: '2026-10-08'
sourceUpdated: '2026-10-08T12:10:00.217'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-53521'
references:
  - url: 'https://my.f5.com/manage/s/article/K000156741'
    label: f5sirt@f5.com
  - url: >-
      https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2025-53521
    label: 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
tags:
  - nvd
  - kev
  - in-the-wild
epss: 0.02295
epssPercentile: 0.82731
kev: true
kevDateAdded: '2026-03-27'
kevDueDate: '2026-03-30'
kevRansomware: false
exploited: true
ingestedAt: '2026-10-08T11:31:27.430Z'
---

## Overview

When a BIG-IP APM access policy is configured on a virtual server, specific malicious traffic can lead to Remote Code Execution (RCE).  

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

## Affected

- `big-ip_access_policy_manager >= 15.1.0, < 15.1.10.8`
- `big-ip_access_policy_manager >= 16.1.0, < 16.1.6.1`
- `big-ip_access_policy_manager >= 17.1.0, < 17.1.3`
- `big-ip_access_policy_manager >= 17.5.0, < 17.5.1.3`

## Remediation

Upgrade past the affected range:

- `big-ip_access_policy_manager 17.5.1.3`