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CVE-2023-0217

Status: ModifiedHigh (7.5)—

An invalid pointer dereference on read can be triggered when an application tries to check a malformed DSA public key by the EVP_PKEY_public_check() function. This will most likely lead to an application crash. This function can be called on public keys supplied from untrusted sources which could allow an attacker to cause a denial of service attack.

The TLS implementation in OpenSSL does not call this function but applications might call the function if there are additional security requirements imposed by standards such as FIPS 140-3.

CVSS

Exploitation probability (EPSS)

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST) estimates how likely a vulnerability is to be exploited in the wild within 30 days. It complements CVSS (impact) and CISA KEV (confirmed exploitation).

Affected technologies (1)

Openssl — Openssl

CWEs

References

Raw JSON (NVD)

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{
  "id": "CVE-2023-0217",
  "cveTags": [],
  "metrics": {
    "ssvcV203": [
      {
        "source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
        "ssvcData": {
          "id": "CVE-2023-0217",
          "role": "CISA Coordinator",
          "options": [
            {
              "exploitation": "none"
            },
            {
              "automatable": "yes"
            },
            {
              "technicalImpact": "partial"
            }
          ],
          "version": "2.0.3",
          "timestamp": "2025-04-23T13:26:50.208671Z"
        }
      }
    ],
    "cvssMetricV31": [
      {
        "type": "Primary",
        "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
        "cvssData": {
          "scope": "UNCHANGED",
          "version": "3.1",
          "baseScore": 7.5,
          "attackVector": "NETWORK",
          "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H",
          "integrityImpact": "NONE",
          "userInteraction": "NONE",
          "attackComplexity": "LOW",
          "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
          "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
          "confidentialityImpact": "NONE"
        },
        "impactScore": 3.6,
        "exploitabilityScore": 3.9
      },
      {
        "type": "Secondary",
        "source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
        "cvssData": {
          "scope": "UNCHANGED",
          "version": "3.1",
          "baseScore": 7.5,
          "attackVector": "NETWORK",
          "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H",
          "integrityImpact": "NONE",
          "userInteraction": "NONE",
          "attackComplexity": "LOW",
          "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
          "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
          "confidentialityImpact": "NONE"
        },
        "impactScore": 3.6,
        "exploitabilityScore": 3.9
      }
    ]
  },
  "affected": [
    {
      "source": "openssl-security@openssl.org",
      "affectedData": [
        {
          "vendor": "OpenSSL",
          "product": "OpenSSL",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "3.0.0",
              "lessThan": "3.0.8",
              "versionType": "semver"
            }
          ],
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "published": "2023-02-08T20:15:24.213",
  "references": [
    {
      "url": "https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git;a=commitdiff;h=23985bac83fd50c8e29431009302b5442f985096",
      "source": "openssl-security@openssl.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202402-08",
      "source": "openssl-security@openssl.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.openssl.org/news/secadv/20230207.txt",
      "tags": [
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "openssl-security@openssl.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git;a=commitdiff;h=23985bac83fd50c8e29431009302b5442f985096",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://psirt.global.sonicwall.com/vuln-detail/SNWLID-2023-0003",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202402-08",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.openssl.org/news/secadv/20230207.txt",
      "tags": [
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    }
  ],
  "vulnStatus": "Modified",
  "weaknesses": [
    {
      "type": "Primary",
      "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-476"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "type": "Secondary",
      "source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-476"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "descriptions": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": "An invalid pointer dereference on read can be triggered when an\napplication tries to check a malformed DSA public key by the\nEVP_PKEY_public_check() function. This will most likely lead\nto an application crash. This function can be called on public\nkeys supplied from untrusted sources which could allow an attacker\nto cause a denial of service attack.\n\nThe TLS implementation in OpenSSL does not call this function\nbut applications might call the function if there are additional\nsecurity requirements imposed by standards such as FIPS 140-3."
    }
  ],
  "lastModified": "2026-06-17T05:25:02.927",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "nodes": [
        {
          "negate": false,
          "cpeMatch": [
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "26EF8A48-B8E5-4D4D-8054-445D65171EAC",
              "versionEndIncluding": "3.0.7",
              "versionStartIncluding": "3.0.0"
            }
          ],
          "operator": "OR"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sourceIdentifier": "openssl-security@openssl.org"
}