Use-after-free vulnerability in the _gnutls_handshake_hash_buffers_clear function in lib/gnutls_handshake.c in libgnutls in GnuTLS 2.3.5 thr
Use-after-free vulnerability in the _gnutls_handshake_hash_buffers_clear function in lib/gnutls_handshake.c in libgnutls in GnuTLS 2.3.5 through 2.4.0 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via TLS transmission of data that is improperly used when the peer calls gnutls_handshake within a normal session, leading to attempted access to a deallocated libgcrypt handle.
- Published
- Aug 8, 2008
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 5.5% · 92th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-119
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Report tools
Action score
32
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 30 / 40 · 7.6 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 2 / 30 · 5.5%
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| gnu | gnutls | cpe:2.3:a:gnu:gnutls |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- gnu gnutls2.3.5
- gnu gnutls2.3.6
- gnu gnutls2.3.7
- gnu gnutls2.3.8
- gnu gnutls2.3.9
- gnu gnutls2.4.0
Same product
gnu: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2017-5334Double free vulnerability in the gnutls_x509_ext_import_proxy function in GnuTLS before 3.3.26 and 3.5.x before 3.5.8 allows remote attacker49Plan
- CVE-2019-3829A vulnerability was found in gnutls versions from 3.5.8 before 3.6.7.48Plan
- CVE-2008-1948The _gnutls_server_name_recv_params function in lib/ext_server_name.c in libgnutls in gnutls-serv in GnuTLS before 2.2.4 does not properly c44Plan
- CVE-2017-5337Multiple heap-based buffer overflows in the read_attribute function in GnuTLS before 3.3.26 and 3.5.x before 3.5.8 allow remote attackers to41Plan
- CVE-2017-5336Stack-based buffer overflow in the cdk_pk_get_keyid function in lib/opencdk/pubkey.c in GnuTLS before 3.3.26 and 3.5.x before 3.5.8 allows r41Plan
- CVE-2021-20232A flaw was found in gnutls.40Plan
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
No fix version is recorded for this entry. Check the references for vendor advisories.
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Special conditions such as timing or configuration are required.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- C · data can be read
- Integrity
- C · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- C · the service can be disrupted
- Attack complexity
- High
- Confidentiality impact
- C
- Integrity impact
- C
- Availability impact
- C
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-119 · Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory BufferCVSS vector
AV:N/AC:H/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
- Buffer Overflow via Environment VariablesCAPEC-10likelihood: High · High
- Overflow BuffersCAPEC-100likelihood: High · Very High
- Buffer ManipulationCAPEC-123likelihood: High · Very High
- Client-side Injection-induced Buffer OverflowCAPEC-14likelihood: Medium · High
- Filter Failure through Buffer OverflowCAPEC-24likelihood: High · High
- MIME ConversionCAPEC-42likelihood: High · High
- Overflow Binary Resource FileCAPEC-44likelihood: High · Very High
- Buffer Overflow via Symbolic LinksCAPEC-45likelihood: High · High
ATT&CK techniques
—
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for all 385,000+ vulnerabilities; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for helpChange log
No changes recorded on tracked fields yet. Score, KEV, exploit maturity and fix status changes appear here.
References
- article.gmane.org/gmane.comp.encryption.gpg.gnutls.devel/2947
- secunia.com/advisories/31505
- www.gnu.org/software/gnutls/security.html
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/30713
- www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2008/2398
- exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/44486
- issues.rpath.com/browse/RPL-2650
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.