CVE-2023-3817

Excessive time spent checking DH q parameter value

Published Jul 31, 2023 CVSS 3.1 · 5.3 Medium EPSS 3.0% 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. After fixing
CVE-2023-3446 it was discovered that a large q parameter value can also trigger
an overly long computation during some of these checks. A correct q value,
if present, cannot be larger than the modulus p parameter, thus it is
unnecessary to perform these checks if q is larger than p.

An application that calls DH_check() and supplies a key or parameters obtained
from an untrusted source could be vulnerable 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

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-3530-1 openssl security update
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-7894-1 EDK II vulnerabilities
History
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, 9:13 PM
Reserved
Jul 21, 2023, 8:47 AM
Status
Modified
Published
Jul 31, 2023, 4:15 PM
Modified
Oct 14, 2026, 10:17 PM
Severity
Low
Public date
Jul 31, 2023, 12:00 AM