Vulnerability Report

CVE-2021-3712

Title: Read buffer overrun in ASN.1 string processing

Memory Corruption

Proof Of Concept

No public PoC currently indexed for CVE-2021-3712.

CWE Category CWE-125
Published Date Aug 24, 2021
Modified Date Apr 16, 2026
Exploit Status Not Found
Score 7.4 CVSS v3.1
Exploit Probability (EPSS)
0.46%

Vulnerability Summary

CVE-2021-3712: ASN.1 strings are represented internally within OpenSSL as an ASN1_STRING structure which contains a buffer holding the string data and a field holding the buffer length. This contrasts with normal C strings which are repesented as a buffer for the string data which is terminated with a NUL (0) byte. Although not a strict requirement, ASN.1 strings that are parsed using OpenSSL's own "d2i" functions (and other similar parsing functions) as well as any string whose value has been set with the ASN1_STRING_set() function will additionally NUL terminate the byte array in the ASN1_STRING structure. However, it is possible for applications to directly construct valid ASN1_STRING structures which do not NUL terminate the byte array by directly setting the "data" and "length" fields in the ASN1_STRING array. This can also happen by using the ASN1_STRING_set0() function. Numerous OpenSSL functions that print ASN.1 data have been found to assume that the ASN1_STRING byte array will be NUL terminated, even though this is not guaranteed for strings that have been directly constructed. Where an application requests an ASN.1 structure to be printed, and where that ASN.1 structure contains ASN1_STRINGs that have been directly constructed by the application without NUL terminating the "data" field, then a read buffer overrun can occur. The same thing can also occur during name constraints processing of certificates (for example if a certificate has been directly constructed by the application instead of loading it via the OpenSSL parsing functions, and the certificate contains non NUL terminated ASN1_STRING structures). It can also occur in the X509_get1_email(), X509_REQ_get1_email() and X509_get1_ocsp() functions. If a malicious actor can cause an application to directly construct an ASN1_STRING and then process it through one of the affected OpenSSL functions then this issue could be hit. This might result in a crash (causing a Denial of Service attack). It could also result in the disclosure of private memory contents (such as private keys, or sensitive plaintext). Fixed in OpenSSL 1.1.1l (Affected 1.1.1-1.1.1k). Fixed in OpenSSL 1.0.2za (Affected 1.0.2-1.0.2y).

Impacted Vendors

Reference Links

http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/08/26/2 https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-244969.pdf https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-389290.pdf https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git%3Ba=commitdiff%3Bh=94d23fcff9b2a7a8368dfe52214d5c2569882c11 https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git%3Ba=commitdiff%3Bh=ccb0a11145ee72b042d10593a64eaf9e8a55ec12 https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=SB10366 https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r18995de860f0e63635f3008fd2a6aca82394249476d21691e7c59c9e%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rad5d9f83f0d11fb3f8bb148d179b8a9ad7c6a17f18d70e5805a713d1%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/09/msg00014.html https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/09/msg00021.html https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202209-02 https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202210-02 https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210827-0010/ https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240621-0006/ https://www.debian.org/security/2021/dsa-4963 https://www.openssl.org/news/secadv/20210824.txt https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuapr2022.html https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujan2022.html https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2021.html https://www.tenable.com/security/tns-2021-16 https://www.tenable.com/security/tns-2022-02 http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/08/26/2 https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-244969.pdf https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-389290.pdf https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git%3Ba=commitdiff%3Bh=94d23fcff9b2a7a8368dfe52214d5c2569882c11 https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git%3Ba=commitdiff%3Bh=ccb0a11145ee72b042d10593a64eaf9e8a55ec12 https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=SB10366 https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r18995de860f0e63635f3008fd2a6aca82394249476d21691e7c59c9e%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rad5d9f83f0d11fb3f8bb148d179b8a9ad7c6a17f18d70e5805a713d1%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/09/msg00014.html https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/09/msg00021.html https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202209-02 https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202210-02 https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210827-0010/ https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240621-0006/ https://www.debian.org/security/2021/dsa-4963 https://www.openssl.org/news/secadv/20210824.txt https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuapr2022.html https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujan2022.html https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2021.html https://www.tenable.com/security/tns-2021-16 https://www.tenable.com/security/tns-2022-02
CVSS v3.1
Source Entity [email protected]
Severity HIGH
7.4
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Complexity
HIGH
Privileges
N/A
Interaction
NONE
Confidentiality
N/A
Integrity
N/A
Availability
N/A
Scope
UNCHANGED
RAW VECTOR CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H
CVSS v3.1
Source Entity 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
Severity HIGH
7.4
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Complexity
HIGH
Privileges
N/A
Interaction
NONE
Confidentiality
N/A
Integrity
N/A
Availability
N/A
Scope
UNCHANGED
RAW VECTOR CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H
CVSS v2.0
Source Entity [email protected]
Severity MEDIUM
5.8
Access Vector
N/A
Authentication
N/A
RAW VECTOR AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:P

Associated Attack Patterns (CAPEC)

Total: Patterns

CVE-2021-3712 Exploits & PoCs (Proof Of Concept)

No public PoCs found in our database for this CVE.

MODIFIED

Vulnerability data updated via NVD.

MODIFIED

Vulnerability data updated via NVD.

MODIFIED

Vulnerability data or affected products updated.

PUBLISHED

Vulnerability first announced in NVD.

Attack Vector Matrix

Access Vector NETWORK
Complexity HIGH
Privileges N/A
Interaction NONE
CVSS Vector String CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H

Affected Stack

No specific products linked.