CVE-2023-3446

Excessive time spent checking DH keys and parameters

Published Jul 19, 2023 CVSS 3.1 · 5.3 Medium EPSS 6.5% KEV · Not listed
Description
Issue summary: Checking excessively long DH keys or parameters may be very slow.

Impact summary: Applications that use the functions DH_check(), DH_check_ex()
or EVP_PKEY_param_check() to check a DH key or DH parameters may experience long
delays. Where the key or parameters that are being checked have been obtained
from an untrusted source this may lead to a Denial of Service.

The function DH_check() performs various checks on DH parameters. One of those
checks confirms that the modulus ('p' parameter) is not too large. Trying to use
a very large modulus is slow and OpenSSL will not normally use a modulus which
is over 10,000 bits in length.

However the DH_check() function checks numerous aspects of the key or parameters
that have been supplied. Some of those checks use the supplied modulus value
even if it has already been found to be too large.

An application that calls DH_check() and supplies a key or parameters obtained
from an untrusted source could be vulernable to a Denial of Service attack.

The function DH_check() is itself called by a number of other OpenSSL functions.
An application calling any of those other functions may similarly be affected.
The other functions affected by this are DH_check_ex() and
EVP_PKEY_param_check().

Also vulnerable are the OpenSSL dhparam and pkeyparam command line applications
when using the '-check' option.

The OpenSSL SSL/TLS implementation is not affected by this issue.
The OpenSSL 3.0 and 3.1 FIPS providers are not affected by this issue.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

Sign in to view the affected projects.

Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-3530-1 openssl security update
EUVD EUVD EUVD-2023-44108 Issue summary: Checking excessively long DH keys or parameters may be very slow. Impact summary: Applications that use the functions DH_check(), DH_check_ex() or EVP_PKEY_param_check() to check a DH key or DH parameters may experience long delays. Where the key or parameters that are being checked have been obtained from an untrusted source this may lead to a Denial of Service. The function DH_check() performs various checks on DH parameters. One of those checks confirms that the modulus ('p' parameter) is not too large. Trying to use a very large modulus is slow and OpenSSL will not normally use a modulus which is over 10,000 bits in length. However the DH_check() function checks numerous aspects of the key or parameters that have been supplied. Some of those checks use the supplied modulus value even if it has already been found to be too large. An application that calls DH_check() and supplies a key or parameters obtained from an untrusted source could be vulernable to a Denial of Service attack. The function DH_check() is itself called by a number of other OpenSSL functions. An application calling any of those other functions may similarly be affected. The other functions affected by this are DH_check_ex() and EVP_PKEY_param_check(). Also vulnerable are the OpenSSL dhparam and pkeyparam command line applications when using the '-check' option. The OpenSSL SSL/TLS implementation is not affected by this issue. The OpenSSL 3.0 and 3.1 FIPS providers are not affected by this issue.
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-6435-1 OpenSSL vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-6435-2 OpenSSL vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-6450-1 OpenSSL vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-6709-1 OpenSSL vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7018-1 OpenSSL vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7894-1 EDK II vulnerabilities
References
Link Providers
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/07/19/4 cve-icon
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/07/19/5 cve-icon
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/07/19/6 cve-icon
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/07/31/1 cve-icon
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/05/16/1 cve-icon
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-099606.html cve-icon
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-277137.html cve-icon
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-341067.html cve-icon
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-398330.html cve-icon
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-556635.html cve-icon
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-769027.html cve-icon
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-794697.html cve-icon
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-915275.html cve-icon
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-943925.html cve-icon
https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git;a=commitdiff;h=1fa20cf2f506113c761777127a38bce5068740eb cve-icon cve-icon
https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git;a=commitdiff;h=8780a896543a654e757db1b9396383f9d8095528 cve-icon cve-icon
https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git;a=commitdiff;h=9a0a4d3c1e7138915563c0df4fe6a3f9377b839c cve-icon cve-icon
https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git;a=commitdiff;h=fc9867c1e03c22ebf56943be205202e576aabf23 cve-icon cve-icon
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/08/msg00019.html cve-icon
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-3446 cve-icon
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202402-08 cve-icon
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20230803-0011/ cve-icon
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-3446 cve-icon
https://www.openssl.org/news/secadv/20230719.txt cve-icon cve-icon cve-icon
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics epss

{'score': 0.00807}

epss

{'score': 0.00785}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-606
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
openssl
Published
Updated
Oct 14, 2026, 8:55 PM
Reserved
Jun 28, 2023, 2:21 PM
Status
Modified
Published
Jul 19, 2023, 12:15 PM
Modified
Oct 14, 2026, 9:17 PM
Severity
Low
Public date
Jul 19, 2023, 12:00 AM