Bug ID 1032077: TACACS authentication fails with tac_author_read: short author body

Last Modified: Jul 13, 2024

Affected Product(s):
BIG-IP TMOS(all modules)

Known Affected Versions:
12.1.0, 12.1.0 HF1, 12.1.0 HF2, 12.1.1, 12.1.1 HF1, 12.1.1 HF2, 12.1.2, 12.1.2 HF1, 12.1.2 HF2, 12.1.3, 12.1.3.1, 12.1.3.2, 12.1.3.3, 12.1.3.4, 12.1.3.5, 12.1.3.6, 12.1.3.7, 12.1.4, 12.1.4.1, 12.1.5, 12.1.5.1, 12.1.5.2, 12.1.5.3, 12.1.6, 13.1.0, 13.1.0.1, 13.1.0.2, 13.1.0.3, 13.1.0.4, 13.1.0.5, 13.1.0.6, 13.1.0.7, 13.1.0.8, 13.1.1, 13.1.1.2, 13.1.1.3, 13.1.1.4, 13.1.1.5, 13.1.3, 13.1.3.1, 13.1.3.2, 13.1.3.3, 13.1.3.4, 13.1.3.5, 13.1.3.6, 13.1.4, 13.1.4.1, 14.1.0, 14.1.0.1, 14.1.0.2, 14.1.0.3, 14.1.0.5, 14.1.0.6, 14.1.2, 14.1.2.1, 14.1.2.2, 14.1.2.3, 14.1.2.4, 14.1.2.5, 14.1.2.6, 14.1.2.7, 14.1.2.8, 14.1.3, 14.1.3.1, 14.1.4, 14.1.4.1, 14.1.4.2, 14.1.4.3, 14.1.4.4, 15.1.0, 15.1.0.1, 15.1.0.2, 15.1.0.3, 15.1.0.4, 15.1.0.5, 15.1.1, 15.1.2, 15.1.2.1, 15.1.3, 15.1.3.1, 15.1.4, 16.0.0, 16.0.0.1, 16.0.1, 16.0.1.1, 16.0.1.2, 16.1.0, 16.1.1

Fixed In:
17.0.0, 16.1.2, 15.1.4.1, 14.1.4.5, 13.1.5

Opened: Jul 07, 2021

Severity: 3-Major

Symptoms

If a TACACS user is part of a group with 10s of attribute value pairs (AVPs) were the length of all the avp's combined is such that the authorization reply message from the TACACS server is segmented, the login will fail. The error message that is logged when the login fails is "tac_author_read: short author body, 4468 of 6920: Operation now in progress" Where the numbers 4468 and 6920 will vary.

Impact

User is unable to login.

Conditions

- TACACS authentication - TACACS user that is part of a group where the combined length of the AVPs is greater then the largest TCP segment the TACACS server is able to send.

Workaround

If possible, reduce the number of attributes of the TACACS group or user.

Fix Information

None

Behavior Change

Guides & references

K10134038: F5 Bug Tracker Filter Names and Tips