# CVE-2026-28758: F5 BIG-IP DNS cleartext password exposure in iControl REST

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-28758-f5-big-ip-dns-cleartext-password-exposure-in-icontrol-rest  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-05-13. Updated: 2026-06-29  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-28758 · Severity: medium · CVSS 4.4 · Published 2026-05-13

F5 BIG-IP DNS, a solution used for managing global network traffic, contains a security flaw where sensitive SSH passwords are exposed in plain text. These passwords appear in certain administrative command responses and are recorded in system audit logs. A highly privileged attacker who already has administrative access could exploit this to view sensitive credentials, potentially leading to further unauthorized access within the network infrastructure.

Technologies: [F5 BIG-IP DNS](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/big-ip-dns). Vendors: [F5](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/f5).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-28758 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-28758 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-28758?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 4.4, published 13 May 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** F5 BIG-IP DNS 17.5.0 - 17.5.1, 17.1.0 - 17.1.3, 16.1.0 - 16.1.6, All versions prior to fix (excluding EoTS).

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-28758?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2026-28758 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in a network appliance.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-28758?** Check whether you run F5 BIG-IP DNS at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

A cleartext storage of sensitive information vulnerability (CWE-312) exists in F5 BIG-IP DNS when provisioned. The 'gtm_add' and 'bigip_add' iControl REST commands return the 'ssh-password' parameter in cleartext within the REST response and subsequently record it in the system audit log. An attacker requires high privileges and local access to the management interface or audit logs to exploit this. Successful exploitation allows the attacker to retrieve sensitive credentials. F5 has released updates for affected versions, including 17.5.1.4 and 17.1.3.1, to address this issue.

## Affected products

- F5 BIG-IP DNS 17.5.0 - 17.5.1, 17.1.0 - 17.1.3, 16.1.0 - 16.1.6

## Timeline

- 2026-05-13: advisory: Initial advisory published by F5 Networks

## References

- [https://my.f5.com/manage/s/article/K000158070](https://my.f5.com/manage/s/article/K000158070)

## Related threats

- [F5 BIG-IP sensitive information disclosure in tmsh command](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-42408-f5-big-ip-sensitive-information-disclosure-in-tmsh-command)
- [F5 BIG-IP XPath injection in Configuration utility](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-40699-f5-big-ip-xpath-injection-in-configuration-utility)
- [F5 BIG-IP DNS command injection in iControl REST and tmsh](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-40061-f5-big-ip-dns-command-injection-in-icontrol-rest-and-tmsh)
- [F5 BIG-IP TMM denial of service in DNS cache profile](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-39458-f5-big-ip-tmm-denial-of-service-in-dns-cache-profile)
- [F5 BIG-IP privilege escalation in scripted monitors](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-32673-f5-big-ip-privilege-escalation-in-scripted-monitors)