Using a Custom Cipher with NID_undef may lead to NULL encryption
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 31/100)
- A ready-made attack module is public (Metasploit); exploiting it takes no special expertise.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 4% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 90.4% of all records.
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. No account or password is required. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- Fixed version: openssl (AlmaLinux:9) 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2; openssl-devel (AlmaLinux:9) 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2; openssl-libs (AlmaLinux:9) 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2.
Low priority for now. Upgrade to openssl (AlmaLinux:9) 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2; openssl-devel (AlmaLinux:9) 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2; openssl-libs (AlmaLinux:9) 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
OpenSSL supports creating a custom cipher via the legacy EVP_CIPHER_meth_new() function and associated function calls. This function was deprecated in OpenSSL 3.0 and application authors are instead encouraged to use the new provider mechanism in order to implement custom ciphers. OpenSSL versions 3.0.0 to 3.0.5 incorrectly handle legacy custom ciphers passed to the EVP_EncryptInit_ex2(), EVP_DecryptInit_ex2() and EVP_CipherInit_ex2() functions (as well as other similarly named encryption and decryption initialisation functions). Instead of using the custom cipher directly it incorrectly tries to fetch an equivalent cipher from the available providers. An equivalent cipher is found based on the NID passed to EVP_CIPHER_meth_new(). This NID is supposed to represent the unique NID for a given cipher. However it is possible for an application to incorrectly pass NID_undef as this value in the call to EVP_CIPHER_meth_new(). When NID_undef is used in this way the OpenSSL encryption/decryption initialisation function will match the NULL cipher as being equivalent and will fetch this from the available providers. This will succeed if the default provider has been loaded (or if a third party provider has been loaded that offers this cipher). Using the NULL cipher means that the plaintext is emitted as the ciphertext. Applications are only affected by this issue if they call EVP_CIPHER_meth_new() using NID_undef and subsequently use it in a call to an encryption/decryption initialisation function. Applications that only use SSL/TLS are not impacted by this issue. Fixed in OpenSSL 3.0.6 (Affected 3.0.0-3.0.5).
- Published
- Oct 11, 2022
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 4.0% · 90th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-476
Report tools
Action score
31
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 30 / 40 · 7.5 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 1 / 30 · 4.0%
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- Weaponized exploit exists
- A fix has been released
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Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| openssl | openssl | cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- openssl openssl3.0.0 and later · before 3.0.6
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (openssl). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
OpenSSL OpenSSL
- Fixed in OpenSSL 3.0.6 (Affected 3.0.0-3.0.5)affected
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| AlmaLinux:9 | openssl | before 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 | 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 |
| AlmaLinux:9 | openssl-devel | before 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 | 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 |
| AlmaLinux:9 | openssl-libs | before 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 | 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 |
| AlmaLinux:9 | openssl-perl | before 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 | 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 |
| Alpine:v3.15 | openssl3 | before 3.0.6-r0 | 3.0.6-r0 |
| Alpine:v3.17 | openssl | from 3.0.0 · before 3.0.6-r0 | 3.0.6-r0 |
| crates.io | openssl-src | from 300.0.0 · before 300.0.10 | 300.0.10 |
| Debian:12 | openssl | before 3.0.7-1 | 3.0.7-1 |
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | openssl-3 | before 3.0.7-1.1 | 3.0.7-1.1 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | openssl-debuginfo | before 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 | 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | openssl-debugsource | before 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 | 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | openssl-devel | before 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 | 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | openssl-libs-debuginfo | before 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 | 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | openssl-perl | before 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 | 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseos | openssl | before 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 | 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseos | openssl-libs | before 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 | 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP4 | openssl-3 | before 3.0.1-150400.4.11.1 | 3.0.1-150400.4.11.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP4 | openssl-3 | before 3.0.1-150400.4.11.1 | 3.0.1-150400.4.11.1 |
Same product
openssl: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2014-0160The (1) TLS and (2) DTLS implementations in OpenSSL 1.0.1 before 1.0.1g do not properly handle Heartbeat Extension packets, which allows remKEV90Now
- CVE-2021-3711SM2 Decryption Buffer Overflow65This week
- CVE-2003-0545Double free vulnerability in OpenSSL 0.9.7 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code 65This week
- CVE-2016-2108The ASN.1 implementation in OpenSSL before 1.0.1o and 1.0.2 before 1.0.2c allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denia62This week
- CVE-2016-6309statem/statem.c in OpenSSL 1.1.0a does not consider memory-block movement after a realloc call, which allows remote attackers to cause a den60This week
- CVE-2022-3786X.509 Email Address Variable Length Buffer Overflow58Plan
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| almalinux:openssl | 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 · AlmaLinux:9 | Package registry (OSV) |
| almalinux:openssl-devel | 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 · AlmaLinux:9 | Package registry (OSV) |
| almalinux:openssl-libs | 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 · AlmaLinux:9 | Package registry (OSV) |
| almalinux:openssl-perl | 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 · AlmaLinux:9 | Package registry (OSV) |
| alpine:openssl | 3.0.6-r0 · Alpine:v3.17 | Package registry (OSV) |
| alpine:openssl3 | 3.0.6-r0 · Alpine:v3.15 | Package registry (OSV) |
| crates.io:openssl-src | 300.0.10 | Package registry (OSV) |
| debian:openssl | 3.0.7-1 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:openssl-3 | 3.0.1-150400.4.11.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.4 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:openssl | 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseos | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:openssl-debuginfo | 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:openssl-debugsource | 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:openssl-devel | 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:openssl-libs | 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseos | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:openssl-libs-debuginfo | 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:openssl-perl | 1:3.0.7-6.el9_2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:openssl-3 | 3.0.1-150400.4.11.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP4 | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
Weaponized
A ready exploit tool or active in-the-wild use is known for this vulnerability. This should be your top priority.
Evidence
- Metasploit module ×1
Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.
| Source | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Metasploit module | auxiliary/scanner/ssl/ssl_versionSSL/TLS Version Detectionauxiliary | 2014-10-14 |
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.
- Metasploit-2919 d
- Published
- TodayOct 17, 2026+1467 d
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.
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
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- none
- Availability
- none
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- None
- Availability impact
- None
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-476 · NULL Pointer DereferenceCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
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.
MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
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References
Show all references (4 more)Show less
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.