CVE-2023-3470: 
F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager vulnerability analysis and mitigation

CVE-2023-3470 affects specific F5 BIG-IP platforms equipped with Cavium Nitrox FIPS HSM cards. The vulnerability was discovered in August 2023 and involves the generation of deterministic passwords for the Crypto User account. The affected hardware platforms include 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 by this vulnerability (NVD).

The vulnerability stems from the predictable nature of password generation for the Crypto User account in FIPS HSM implementations. This predictability creates a security weakness that can be exploited by authenticated users with TMSH access or individuals with physical access to the FIPS HSM. On vCMP systems, the vulnerability is particularly concerning as all Guests share the same deterministic password, allowing those with TMSH access on one Guest to potentially access keys of different Guests. The vulnerability has been assigned a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.1 (Medium) with the vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N (NVD).

The vulnerability allows authenticated users with TMSH access to the BIG-IP system, or anyone with physical access to the FIPS HSM, to obtain the information required to generate the correct password. This could lead to unauthorized access to cryptographic keys and sensitive data, particularly in vCMP environments where multiple Guests share the same deterministic password (NVD).