Home/CVE/The OpenSSL public API function X509_issuer_and_serial_hash() attempts to create a unique hash value based on the issuer
CVE

CVE-2021-23841

The OpenSSL public API function X509_issuer_and_serial_hash() attempts to create a unique hash value based on the issuer

The OpenSSL public API function X509_issuer_and_serial_hash() attempts to create a unique hash value based on the issuer and serial number data contained within an X509 certificate. However it fails to correctly handle any errors that may occur while parsing the issuer field (which might occur if the issuer field is maliciously constructed). This may subsequently result in a NULL pointer deref and a crash leading to a potential denial of service attack.

The function X509_issuer_and_serial_hash() is never directly called by OpenSSL itself so applications are only vulnerable if they use this function directly and they use it on certificates that may have been obtained from untrusted sources. OpenSSL versions 1.1.1i and below are affected by this issue. Users of these versions should upgrade to OpenSSL 1.1.1j.

OpenSSL versions 1.0.2x and below are affected by this issue. However OpenSSL 1.0.2 is out of support and no longer receiving public updates. Premium support customers of OpenSSL 1.0.2 should upgrade to 1.0.2y.

Other users should upgrade to 1.1.1j. Fixed in OpenSSL 1.1.1j (Affected 1.1.1-1.1.1i). Fixed in OpenSSL 1.0.2y (Affected 1.0.2-1.0.2x).

MEDIUM · CVSS 5.9 EPSS 0.00958
Monitor
  • No active-exploitation, high-EPSS, or public-exploit signals - routine patching cadence
Sigma rules0 YARA rules0

Weakness Classification

Affected Packages

1
Language-ecosystem packages (from OSV) tied to this CVE, with the version that fixes it - the dependency-level detail NVD doesn’t carry.
crates.io openssl-src MODERATE fixed in 111.14.0

Scoring & Timeline

5.9
MEDIUM · CVSS v3.1 · openssl-security@openssl.org
View on NVD
Attack Vector
Network Adjacent Local Physical
Attack Complexity
Low High
Privileges Required
None Low High
User Interaction
None Required
Scope
Unchanged Changed
Confidentiality
None Low High
Integrity
None Low High
Availability
None Low High
Published to NVD16 Feb 2021 · 05:15 PM
CVSS VectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
SSVC triage · cisa-vulnrichment
Exploitation
none
Automatable
no
Technical impact
partial
SSVC asks the questions that actually drive patch urgency: is it being exploited, can attacks be automated, and how total is the impact.

Vendor Advisories

29
suse-csafopenSUSE-SU-2024:11126-1
suse-csafopenSUSE-SU-2024:11127-1
siemens-csafSSA-637483
rhsaRHSA-2021:4863Important
🔗

References & Sources

22
Source URLs (vendor pages, mailing lists, write-ups). Exploit/PoC links are in their own section above to avoid duplication.
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/May/67Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/May/68Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/May/70Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
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